So....I need to fire my Travel Agent/Old Thread...New Update

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

Chris asked me to contact him if payment is not received in 24 hours.

 

[vossjemi]

Tom, I haven't posted on this thread yet, but have been reading in anticipation and praying for you. He claims payment was processed today. Hopefully, that was an online or wire transfer of some sort. Usually those sorts of things clear over the night. Hopefully, when you ck w/DCL first thing in the am, they can tell you it is paid in full. I too am unsure what all work he claims he did for you. He booked a few rooms; so what, anyone can do that! He caused you to be unable to book the excursions and reservations you wanted. He caused your whole reservation to hang in the balance of missing the final payment date. He is a poor excuse of a TA and business owner; especially since he's pawning if off on an employee and basically washing his hands of it.

If in fact payment wasn't made today when you check tomorrow, I would most definitely fup w/DCL to ensure they don't cancel you. I would fup with your news rptr, the AG's office, the BBB, the travel rptr, and anyone else you can think of. It sucks that he won't release the ressie back to DCL. Gosh, it sounds like its easier to get divorced than to get rid of a TA!!! So, as to your original question, it sounds like you CAN'T FIRE HIM!! What a shame! If he does pay on time, but you are unable to get the reservations you wanted, you might contemplate suing him in small claims court too. Wouldn't that be sweet to get something back from him? Of course, I'd wait until the cruise was over and I was back before doing that.

Gosh, if he does pay up, I just hope you do in fact get your cruise documents from him. I can't believe you can't fire him. I can't believe DCL can't just take the reservation back per your instructions! What a crock! Any other industry, the customer always has the right to fire someone....now could he claim entitlement to some fee for the the work he's done/time he's put in so far, maybe. Otherwise, people would let TA's do all the work, and then fire them to get out of doing the grunt work. I think this is why TA's charge for airfare reservations now. But, I'm rambling now...

Anyway, I'm watching and praying for you!

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

Just spoke with Christine.

Payment was not wired or made by credit card today. It was sent by DHL today.

 

[TnRobin]

Tom, what if all of us, email Chris Elliott, about this matter? There is over 1000 people who are watching this thread. Even if half email Chris, he might do something, about this to expose this agency?

Guys remember we are not suppose to use the DIS to start email writting campaigns.

Tom, I have been following this thread and my heart goes out to you for all the stress and duress that this TA has put you through. I do hope this gets resolved quickly so that you can start planning a relaxing vacation.

 

[zulaya]

Just spoke with Christine.

Payment was not wired or made by credit card today. It was sent by DHL today.

DHL has tracking numbers. Get it from her so you can track it. If she refuses to give it to you, then you are completely justified to contact Chris Elliott.

Is there ANY prayer that once you are paid off that you can have DCL send your cruise documents to you directly rather than to this sorry example of a TA? Or can you print those directly off the DCL website? (I haven't taken my first DCL cruise, so I'm not sure about that myself.)

 

[global_mom]

DHL has tracking numbers. Get it from her so you can track it. If she refuses to give it to you, then you are completely justified to contact Chris Elliott.

I would definately do this and track it on-line to make sure that it was really sent. Sounds like he is buying more time by sending a paper check which he may not be able to cover.

 

[MagicMe]

The thing that has me on this whole situation is that the only reason things are being handled hopefully within the right timeframe is that Tom has been watching this and keeping an eye on it.

Now, imagine if you are someone who plans on taking a cruise but with limited funds does not plan on taking any excursions. They've saved for a Disney cruise and want to experience that but can't really afford the excursions. Okay, you've paid the $$ to this TA and you have no reason to check the DCL website. You go along blissfully thinking that your TA has handled it (isn't that what they are being paid for?). So what happens if they "reconciled" their books at the end of the week (instead of now since they are being closely watched). What happens when the payment date and grace period has passed. Does DCL contact the TA to find out about payment or is the poor family out of luck since the TA didn't pay and DCL has canceled.

This TA needs to be taken off the DCL list and not be allowed to book any Dcl cruise.

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

They won't give me the tracking number.

 

[Mozart]

They won't give me the tracking number.

These guys are shady. That's all I have to say.

Why the ****! would you not give someone a tracking number for something simple like this? Unless you're not planning on mailing it.

 

[global_mom]

They won't give me the tracking number.

Something seems very wrong with this. "Hopefully" they are just being jerks and not covering the fact that they have not really sent the payment.

I just cant get over DCL being associated with an agency like this!

 

[Buckeye Gal]

..... I can't believe you can't fire him. I can't believe DCL can't just take the reservation back per your instructions!...

Like all of us, I think we are indeed shocked that DCL can't fire him and take your reservation back, especially if that are indeed an "Authorized Vacation Planner". I would imagine their stance at this point in time is that they want to ensure they get the money, too, so they may not want to offically butt in yet.

I will add that I absolutely cannot imagine that DCL doesn't have some plan up their sleeve. They have already indicated that they won't let your reservation get cancelled. I'm sure they have validated this TA is indeed an "Authorized Planner" (meaning he's not just advertising that), and I imagine they must have some contractual policies that the TA's must abide by in order to be "Authorized". I guess what I'm hopeful for is that indeed DCL is working behind the scenes and simply cannot disclose to a customer what's going to go on between them and the TA.

Stay strong, Tom, as well as the rest of your large traveling party. You'll be taken care of to ensure in the end you get your vacation and he gets his penalities and reputation tarnished! I'm certain of it!! You'll be cruising the seas soon!

 

[Dlandfan]

Tom,
I have been watching this and I'm so sorry. We are a bit away but the local channel 13 (CBS) up in Sacramento has a great consumer reporter. You may want to call him and see if he can offer any info or help. Fresno may be a bit too far but, it is worth a try. The guys name is Kurtis Ming. http://cbs13.com/consumer/Kurtis.Ming.Contact.2.564465.html You may also want to contact everyone (Fresno Bee, tv stations) again as the payment date has now passed and this TA (if you can call them that) has still not paid and will not give you the DHL info.

I hope it works out

 

[Soccermom-Cheri]

I was discussing this with my husband and he said it sounds like it's bordering on fraud. Taking money and not delivering promised goods/services.

 

[zulaya]

I shouldn't be surprised. How does it hurt them to give you the DHL number? It doesn't...unless they never sent it to begin with

You can't stop anything by knowing the number. All it will allow you to do is track it.

If they sent it DHL, it's essentially via the US Post Office. Depending on the service the TA purchased, it could take DAYS, maybe even a week for that to get from CA to DCL.

If they paid for a moderate Priority service, maybe 3 days. With all that's happened, I can't see them spending the money for anything faster.

So what's DCL's take on all this? I know you say they won't cancel on you, but how long are they really going to wait for payment?

And I find it hard to believe that they can't sign a contract with someone who's an Authorized Disney Provider that states something along the lines that they reserve the right to sever the relationship AND take over all Disney related travel reservations at any given time for any reason they deem fit. It's Disney's reputation on the line as well for letting this TA be an Authorized Disney Agent.

This is so why I can't bring myself to trust anyone else with my travel plans. No offense to the TAs on this board, but the possibility that this type of thing could happen just reaffirms that I cannot let my plans be out of my control.

 

[Grandma4ever]

This just has me sick. My TA, who I have never met, paid my cruise off when I asked, months before the cut off. We do not leave until 9/27/08. I am feeling very Lucky.

Tom, you will continue to be in my thoughts until we know you are on the ship. It is a good thing that we do not have to have the documents to board. Just fill stuff out on-line cause I am guessing you will not get them.

I agree that this is fraud at best and may well be criminal. They work for you not the other way around and can suggest what will be best but still need to do as you request. I hope the AG jumps on this and puts this guy out of business. I know no one on this board will give a recomendation.

Continue to keep us posted so we will all know when it is safe to breath again. Lois

 

[Tine731]

They won't give me the tracking number.

 

[Tine731]

Tom, you are a very "big" person.

I would cancel my entire trip. If I could not afford to book the same cruise (due to a rate increase) I would skip it all together and go another time. I know this would disappoint the other guests in your group but like I said you seem to be a "big" person....I would be "petty" and "small"!

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

Tom, you are a very "big" person.

I would cancel my entire trip. If I could not afford to book the same cruise (due to a rate increase) I would skip it all together and go another time. I know this would disappoint the other guests in your group but like I said you seem to be a "big" person....I would be "petty" and "small"!

You try telling a 4-year-old that cruise he's been excited about for a year and a half is cancelled. I don't care about the other guest in our group (ok, yeah I do), but I can't disappoint my son.

Gotta go before I cry.

 

[Tine731]

Oh Tom, I am sorry. I hope my comments did not offend you. It would be very difficult to tell a 4 year old. My heart goes out to you and I am praying for a happy ending.

 

[Tuffcookie]

Tine731 wrote: Tom, you are a very "big" person.

I would cancel my entire trip. If I could not afford to book the same cruise (due to a rate increase) I would skip it all together and go another time. I know this would disappoint the other guests in your group but like I said you seem to be a "big" person....I would be "petty" and "small"!

What about all the money that this TA has already taken from him? I don't think the TA is going to say, fine, "Let me write you a refund check"! (Besides, he would send it out pony express! )

You have a right to the tracking #. Having a tracking # does not give you any power to change anything. One of 2 senerios: They're trying to aggravate you further, or they didn't mail it out yet! At this point it should have gone out over-night. So he's earned his comission...FOR WHAT?!!!!

The AG should be getting involved with this. It sounds like the TA may be getting ready to file bankruptcy but you caught him before he could swindle anyone else out of their vacation funds. Maybe you are the first to question his business practices and maybe more victims will be found.

I hope the TA hopes his comission is worth all the bad publicity he is going to get out of this mess!

OP, I am sorry you are going thru this. I have just joined the DCL board but I have already learned so much. I will be making my own travel plans when I book my cruise for next June!

TC