Dropping a TA - questions

[lauritagoddess]

When I was on the Fantasy at the beginning of September, I booked a placeholder and named my current TA for the booking. I had another booking for a Med cruise for 2016 with the same TA. It turned out because of my job I would need to cancel that cruise and book a different one. I wanted to use my placeholder to book the new cruise. My TA has been extremely unresponsive. I've been trying to get this taken care of for almost 2 weeks and I'm fed up with the lack of response.

My questions are -

1 - Can I cancel directly with DCL for the med cruise since she hasn't done it yet?
2 - Can I have DCL remove the TA from my placeholder booking?
3 - I'd probably will want to go with a better TA for the new cruise. If they remove the current TA from the placeholder, would I be able to book directly with DCL and then transfer to a new TA?

TIA!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

When I was on the Fantasy at the beginning of September, I booked a placeholder and named my current TA for the booking. I had another booking for a Med cruise for 2016 with the same TA. It turned out because of my job I would need to cancel that cruise and book a different one. I wanted to use my placeholder to book the new cruise. My TA has been extremely unresponsive. I've been trying to get this taken care of for almost 2 weeks and I'm fed up with the lack of response.

My questions are -

1 - Can I cancel directly with DCL for the med cruise since she hasn't done it yet?
2 - Can I have DCL remove the TA from my placeholder booking?
3 - I'd probably will want to go with a better TA for the new cruise. If they remove the current TA from the placeholder, would I be able to book directly with DCL and then transfer to a new TA?

TIA!

I know that, if you can produce proof of your TAs ineptness, you can get them removed from the reservation. Like emails not answered. But you'd have to speak to a supervisor at DCL and get them involved. Not just whoever answers the phone.

But, if you contact DCL they will direct you to your TA for cancellations of reservations they (the TA) made.

Some TAs have cancellation fees, does yours?

If you make a reservation directly, yourself, you can transfer it to a TA, as long as you do it within 30 days of the booking.

 

[squirk]

I went through this a few years ago. Don't take it as gospel, but my experience was that it is extremely difficult to get a TA removed completely from a reservation. In most cases, the TA and their agency have to agree to the removal. You might find it easier to ask the agency to assign you a different agent instead.

 

[lauritagoddess]

Unfortunately, it's a small agency where I've been basically dealing with the owner. I had two cruises with her before, and had no problems. I'm not sure what the problem is now. The timeline of this is -

10/1 - I e-mailed advising I would need to cancel the cruise and that I wanted to book a different cruise and asked about the placeholder. No response.
10/6 - I e-mailed the TA
10/7 - I e-mailed TA and left her a voicemail
10/8 - She e-mailed back 10/8 saying she would send pricing that night for the new cruise, but not acknowledging the cancellation of the existing cruise. Pricing wasn't sent.
10/10 - I e-mailed the TA
10/11 - She e-mailed on 10/11 with pricing for the cruise
10/12 - I e-mailed her back advising I would be interesting in booking at the pricing she gave but also asking for clarification of some issues. No response.
10/15 - I e-mailed again this morning, and left her a voicemail.

Aside from the fact that it's been two weeks since I asked her to cancel the cruise and it hasn't happened yet, if this is the kind of service she's giving me now, I don't see wanting to continue with her for the new cruise. Would this be enough to get her removed from the placeholder and to get DCL to take action to get the existing cruise canceled?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Unfortunately, it's a small agency where I've been basically dealing with the owner. I had two cruises with her before, and had no problems. I'm not sure what the problem is now. The timeline of this is -

10/1 - I e-mailed advising I would need to cancel the cruise and that I wanted to book a different cruise and asked about the placeholder. No response.
10/6 - I e-mailed the TA
10/7 - I e-mailed TA and left her a voicemail
10/8 - She e-mailed back 10/8 saying she would send pricing that night for the new cruise, but not acknowledging the cancellation of the existing cruise. Pricing wasn't sent.
10/10 - I e-mailed the TA
10/11 - She e-mailed on 10/11 with pricing for the cruise
10/12 - I e-mailed her back advising I would be interesting in booking at the pricing she gave but also asking for clarification of some issues. No response.
10/15 - I e-mailed again this morning, and left her a voicemail.

Aside from the fact that it's been two weeks since I asked her to cancel the cruise and it hasn't happened yet, if this is the kind of service she's giving me now, I don't see wanting to continue with her for the new cruise. Would this be enough to get her removed from the placeholder and to get DCL to take action to get the existing cruise canceled?

Well, to me it sounds like it. But the only people who know for sure are the DCL people. Give them a call and tell them the time line/issues. See what they can do to help you.

 

[lanejudy]

3 - I'd probably will want to go with a better TA for the new cruise. If they remove the current TA from the placeholder, would I be able to book directly with DCL and then transfer to a new TA?

In answer to #3 -- assuming you get the current TA removed from the placeholder, you can only transfer it (or the related cruise reservation) if you are still within 30 days of when you made the placeholder. It sounds like you have probably past that point. DCL might give you some leeway if you have to get them involved in removing the TA, but I wouldn't count on it.

Good luck getting the TA removed from both the current med cruise (cancellation) and the placeholder. As a PP says, generally the TA must agree to the change.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[Expatriat]

Good luck getting the TA removed from both the current med cruise (cancellation) and the placeholder. As a PP says, generally the TA must agree to the change.

Right. It is the same as telling your TA, "I want to fire you, but I can only do so with your help. What do you say? Will you fire yourself for me?"

I sympathize with the OP and hope everything works out.

 

[princesskayla]

I had similar issues with my TA. I called Disney but you have to go though the motions of asking your current TA to revert the reservation back to Disney. I asked DCL what would happen if they refused. DCL stated that "very rarely happens" but if it did a manager would intervene. Very frustrating to deal with and I feel your pain!!!