Help!! Travel agent increased bill by $1010.52 (UPDATE)

[cindy21494]

I made a payment on our trip a few days ago, and my TA said she would mail me a receipt (I'm trying to pay it off with my Disney Visa). Well, I got the receipt today and a charge of $1010.52 is added on to the bill!!!!!!! There is a note stating that we were billed an incorrect total amount for this trip. I booked this trip October 29th 2003. BTW, this does not inclued airfare or transfers!!! We are leaving October 8th, 2004. It is for a catagory 6 for two adults and a 10 year old and a four year old. The original amount was $4660.08. The new amount is $5670.60. This just doesn't seem right. I even checked with other TA's and with Disney's own site before I booked this trip, and they were all pretty much the same amount. How can they now say it is more!!

I am almost in tears over this, I can't afford $1000.00 more. My TA isn't in because of the holiday, so now I have to wait until Monday or Tuesday to find out what is going on.

Has this happened to anyone else?!

Any suggestions on what I should do now?

I need lots of Pixie Dust!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for listening.

Cindy

 

[webray]

You can always cancel..you are well within the 60 day period.

In the mean time..I would call and get other quotes..if you get a better deal book, and just cancel the too high priced ressie..it takes a good month or longer to get your deposit back..so do it asap.

 

[tap & dap]

I am no attorney, but is would seem to me that if they send you a confirmation and that included your original deposit, then it should be a contract for that specific amount.

I would think any reputable TA would stand behind a written confirmation that was sent to you.

 

[Grumbo]

I assume you leave October 8th and the cruise departs October 9th????

All Season's price as of today for two adults and two children in a Cat 6 is $5490.00
Still cheaper but not $1100.

If you didn't make a deposit back in 2003 then it wouldn't have been retained. Are you saying you made a reservation in 2003 but only made your deposit a few days ago????

No agency is going to keep a reservation for 10 months without any money down.

Cheers,
Grumbo

 

[cindy21494]

What makes me even more mad is She didn't even call me and tell me. She just added it to the bill and circled the amount due!

I also just went on Disney's website and for almost the same amount, I could get a catagory 4 for October 2005. The catagory 6 is $4800.00. I'm pretty sure that the prices have increased lately too!

I just got hold of someone in the office, and they are having her call me back around 2:00 today.

I'll let you know what happens.

Thanks,

Cindy

 

[Minnie&Mickey]

Originally posted by cindy21494
I made a down payment on our trip a few days ago, and my TA said she would mail me a receipt. Well, I got the receipt today and a charge of $1010.52 is added on to the bill!!!!!!! There is a note stating that we were billed an incorrect total amount for this trip. I booked this trip October 29th 2003.

Sounds to me like the TA forgot to charge you the down payment at the time of booking and that the price has gone up since then. We have only cruised once, but the day that we booked our 3 day Disney Cruise, we were required to pay a downpayment of $200 per person right then. The remaining balance was due 60 days before sailing if I remember correctly. Just last weekend, I booked a cruise for next summer on another line, and was required to put down a $250 deposit per person with the balance due 70 days out. The TA should have charged you your deposit back on Oct. 29, 2003 to lock in your price.

 

[cindy21494]

No, I booked it October 2003, and put down the required $1000.00. My balance should be $3959.08.

We are arriving October 8th, but staying a the WL for the night and then going to the ship October 9th. Sorry for the confusion. I'm very upset at this point.

 

[wide awake]

Why don't you call DCL and check on when the deposit was made for this cabin ? If it was back in 2003 then that should be your price...if your TA never actually collected money from you to hold the cabin at that price then you will pay the higher rate.

 

[floridaminnie]

Sounds like your TA didn't do her job and just rebooked the cruise...let us know what happens. Good luck!

 

[cindy21494]

I don't think there was a problem with the deposit back in October 2003. Because I added the REAS package on in February 2004, and I was there when my TA called Disney to add it on. There was no problem with the total of the bill then. I also called Debbie for the REAS package a few weeks ago and she had all my information. If my TA screwed up and didn't book it, then Debbie wouldn't have all my information (Cabin number, main seating) right?

This is very frustrating, because I can't seem to find a reason why it would go up so much.

 

[Grumbo]

Did you pay a deposit when you booked it Cindy, or was the deposit you just paid the first money you had given the TA??

I can't see how Debbie would have any info if the ressie hadn't been made. It was just you said in your original message that you booked in October of 2003 and then made a deposit a few days ago. Maybe I'm confused on the chronology of what you are saying then.

Cheers,
Grumbo

 

[TheWog]

If you have an agreement for a certain price that is your price. If she screwed up, it isn't your fault. She has to honor the contract or you can take other action. I would see what she has to say. Good luck.

 

[dis4me]

That is terrible Cindy. The only thing that coms to mind is maybe teh TA had a group booking at that rate and they didn't fullfill the group quota. That would definitiel make the price go up but they should ahve either made you aware thta if the didn't get enough bookings it would change or they should bite the bulle and honor the quote you wre given. I would be very leery of using the TA again.
You plainly stated that you paid a deposit of $1000 in October of 2003 then you hve made subsequent payments and now before your final deposit is due they are telling you it cost more. NO I am not buying that. If they don't honor your original price I would rebook with someone else. If you have proof of the original quote I would consult with a lawyer or the BBB. That is definiely BAD BUISNESS.
Good Luck with your outcome.

 

[cindy21494]

Grumbo,

Sorry I am being a bit confusing. This is what I did:

In October of 2003 I booked this trip for $4660.08 and paid the deposit of $1000.00. That left a balance of $3660.08. I added the REAS package in February 2004, which is $299.00. My balance was now $3959.08.

I just went to the TA a few days ago and put $2300.00 on my Disney Visa. She had another client coming in so she mailed me my receipt.

The receipt has $3959.08 (balance) plus $1010.52 (incorrect amount invoiced total trip), minus $2300.00. (my payment on my Visa) leaving me with a new balance of $2669.60.

I hope this makes it a little clearer.

Thanks

Cindy

 

[cindy21494]

I agree my TA should honor the original price. We have booked all our cruises with them, and this has never happened before.

BTW, my travel agent is AAA travel, so I didn't think a large Travel Agency would do this to me.

Like I said before, I am really angry that she didn't have the decency to call me and explain what was going on. She just sent me the bill.

 

[Grumbo]

$4440.08 minus deposit of $1000 should be $3440.08. Plus $299 for the REAS is $3739.08 balance remaining.
Paid $2300 on Visa should leave $1439.08.

If you have the original papers with those prices I think they MUST stick to those prices.
Sounds more like a numbers screwup by the TA. As these are all done through DCL even while with a TA I'm sure you'll end up OK.
Good luck

Cheers,
Grumbo

 

[kaseyC]

From my understanding of your previous posts. You made a $1000 deposit in Oct. 2003 when you booked the cruise.
Did the TA send you a confirmation with your all of your information including the price the TA quoted?
That confirmation should also indicate when your final payment is due and what your remaining balance is.

That is the amount you should pay!! No more than that and the Agency should stand by it. Your confirmation letter is your receipt.
Let them know you have the original confirmation and that you expect them to honor it.

Best of luck and I hope everything works out!

 

[cindy21494]

Thanks everyone. I'm starting to calm down a little. I do have all the original papers from the TA, so hopefully it will all get fixed this afternoon. When I find something out, I'll let you know.

Cindy

 

[kaseyC]

Cindy, that is great you have kept all of your original paperwork. Let it work for you.
You metioned that it was AAA, if you cannot get this cleared up with your TA, go directly to the manager. AAA is usually pretty good at working out these things but you may have be firm and go beyond the original TA.

 

[invaderzim]

Cindy:

What was the TA's reply when you confronted her about this? Once you put a deposit, you are LOCKED into that rate. It may be possible that she didn't book the cruise in October, but did it in February when you added the REAS and, of course, by then the price would have jumped.

If I were you (because I use AAA all the time), I would call and speak with the supervisor or travel department manager and make a stink.

DO YOU HAVE A RECEIPT FROM OCTOBER 2003 SHOWING THE ORIGINAL BOOKING AMOUNT? If so, then they don't have a leg to stand on!