Thread: Group Cruise Question

Hi,

I'm looking for opinions/advice re the following situation:

We booked a group cruise with, what I thought was a very reputable firm located in Arkansas. It is a Celebrity Group. Final payment is due next week.

We have the following cabins booked:
2 suites
3 balconies
2 outside
1 inside

We only have 15 actual passengers as one of the outsides is a single cabin (paying 200% occupancy).

The TA that we are dealing with is saying we are NOT entitled to a free tour conductor because we have not booked 8 double cabins - we have 7 doubles and 1 single. She said the only way we can get a TC is to put a phony name in the single cabin and pay the additional $300 taxes and fees associated witht he phony name. If we do that she will then give us a TC credit in the outside category.

I know for a fact that Celebrity Group policy states that in the case of a single cabin, paying 200%, that the single occupant counts for 2 people when counting passengers for a TC credit and also that you get your TC berth in the cabin where you have sold the most cabins (which, in our case, would be a 2A Balcony cabin)

So, the way I look at it is this agent will be making extra money on our group as follows: $300 that we are paying for the taxes/fees plus the different in price between an outside cabin and a balcony (a little over $500).

When I told the agent that I was aware of the Celebirty Group policies (as I just got out of the business last year after doing outside sales with a local agency for over 15 years), she told me that my contract is with XXXX Tours, NOT with Celebrity Cruises. I can tell you right now -- this is my last contract with her company. As a matter of fact a few of us have Celebrity cruises booked with her in June and we will transfer these back to the Cruise Line.

I have cruised 51 times with Celebrity. I quit my outside sales job with my local agent because she was nickel and diming all my bookings (both individual & group) so she could make an extra fifty buck! (times are tough, I guess). I thought I would try this TA in Arkansas because so many people on the boards think she is so great.

My question is this: Do you all think this is ethical treatment by this travel agency and more importantly, are there any ethical travel agencies out there?? Don't tell me to ask to speak to a manager/supervisor -- I'm dealing with the owner!!!

Thanks in advance your comments, opinions, suggestions.

jcpc

Does tour conductor mean a free berth?? That is what a group usually gets if 8 Cabins are booked. They are lying that you cannot get it because the single is being paid as a double.

Hi Sue,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, free berth/tour conductor is the same thing. I know she is lying - I am a very experienced cruiser (and, as I mentioned, former outside sales travel agent).

But do you have any suggestions as to what I can do about her lying? It seems like she's really holding all the cards.

In the end - it's her loss. I've cruised Celebrity 51 times (and other cruise lines a lot too!) She'll never get any more of my business.

I just hate when people lie and take advantage of consumers.

Thanks again,
jcpc

Originally Posted by jcpc

Hi Sue,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, free berth/tour conductor is the same thing. I know she is lying - I am a very experienced cruiser (and, as I mentioned, former outside sales travel agent).

But do you have any suggestions as to what I can do about her lying? It seems like she's really holding all the cards.

In the end - it's her loss. I've cruised Celebrity 51 times (and other cruise lines a lot too!) She'll never get any more of my business.

I just hate when people lie and take advantage of consumers.

Thanks again,
jcpc

I sent you a PM. I suggest you speak with another agent, you can possibly transfer to another agent. Not sure what kind of fees are involved but if there are, never book with an agent that has them.

She's not holding all the cards if you haven't made final payment.

Patsea,
We have not made final payment. It is due in her office Wednesday, August 26 (however, due to the cruise line August 31 -70 days out from our sailing date of November 9th). Note: she is also giving us amenities, i.e. onboard credits, but we knew that we were getting onboard credits from Day 1......We know we are entitled to a free TC but she will not give it to us. Will it do me any good to call Celebrity? Probably not.
jcpc

You could try but they may not talk to you if you have a travel agent. Princess does not.

Celebrity doesn't talk to you either if you've booked through a TA. I'm just very annoyed about this whole thing.

I bet you are. If you got decen OBC the TA is not losing anything. She will get the amt the berth is worth.

You can have 8 single cabins booked and will receive the TC. Doesn't matter as a single paying 200% is considered a cabin toward the TC. You can also use the amenity points to reduce the number of cabins required for a TC. For example, you have 14 cabins and 4 amenity points. You can use the 4 amenity points for a $100 OBC per cabin and receive one TC. Let's say the TC is worth $900. You can use 1 amenity point to drop the TC ratio to 1 for 7 and get 2 TC's. You would lose $25 per cabin OBC but gain a TC worth $900. I always look for getting the most bang for the buck.

Reggie