What gift did you get from your travel agent?

[kimtenn]

We booked through Cruise Holidays both time we sailed and the first cruise was a land/sea combo. We got a free day bag from the agent with their logo on the front, given to us before we left town. Then when we got to our cabin, we had a flower arrangement waiting from Cruise Holidays. Very nice.

Our second cruise in Sept. 2002, we were Castaway Club members, so we got a CC beach towel and trading pins for booking the one room. I think we also got a flower arrangement from Cruise Holidays, but I can't remember for sure.

We're thinking about doing a cruise next spring using our new DVC points and not going through a travel agent, so I'm curious to see what/if we get any "freebies" upon arrival. We're still Castaway Club members too, so I'm guessing we might get something from that as well?

 

[momofofo22]

On our first cruise, on the third night we had a card at our table saying that our TA send us a nice bottle of wine.

We were very happy.

We are cruising again February 28th, I will see what I will receive

 

[jilljill]

Originally posted by alexandrew
Our TA gave us the gift of low pricing....

That sounds like a wonderful gift.

 

[RagamuffinMom]

Wow, I am not happy to hear that...when I booked it said that if 8 families booked there would be a gift...I hope they don't break that promise, its one of the reasons I went with them!

But how will you know how many families booked thru DU for that cruise?

 

[goodstarr]

I've cruise 9 times (once with DCL) and all through Liberty Travel and every time, except one, a bottle of wine or champagne has been waiting in my cabin from my TA.

 

[AnnMorin]

except for wonderful memories and a relaxing week... that is a GREAT gift!

 

[jlp651]

When I went to pay off the trip my TA handed me a bag with a stuffed mickey and minnie, a really cool frame and luggage tags. It was a great way to show BF that there is magic in every Disney trip...he has no clue that I have all sorts of things planned for him as we get there and depart etc...

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by RagamuffinMom
But how will you know how many families booked thru DU for that cruise?

On the reservation page they had kept a running count on how many were booked on your cruise....many months back it was already at 7 so I am sure it must have hit the 8 or more by now!

 

[strawberryblonde]

Back when I booked my cruise through DU, they were offering a gift if they booked 8 or more cruises for your dates. They will not be honoring this promise starting in 2004 . I was emailed that it was Disney's fault as Disney has changed their incentives to DU. I think it would have been good will for DU to honor it if they were advertising it when you booked, but that is my opinion. If I could do it over, I would book directly with Disney so that I would have control over my booking. I'm a type A planner , so that would suit me best. At the time of my booking, DCL and DU were offering the same price, if there were a price break, I can see the value in booking with a TA.

 

[aprilgail2]

Well that really sucks....I had the chance soon after I booked to switch to another agency that was a bit cheaper but I stuck with DU becuase the agent had worked hard to get me the room I wanted and because they promised a free gift....well now I know better than to trust them to keep their part of the deal. Next time I will book elsewhere.

 

[TexasGirl]

We booked through All Seasons Travel. It was only one cabin and the cheapest they offer but we still got a DCL Memory Box from the TA. It was waiting on our bed when we arrived.

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by TexasGirl
We booked through All Seasons Travel. It was only one cabin and the cheapest they offer but we still got a DCL Memory Box from the TA. It was waiting on our bed when we arrived.

I am booking again for the end of 2004, I will look into All Seasons for this trip.

 

[tigger53]

two years ago we booked with AAA and when we got to our room we had a bottle of champagne and an assorted fruit and cookie tray waiting for us, plus the gifts fron the castawy club, it was great, also before we left AAA sent two duffle type bags with our docs, also we got the soda mugs for the three of us included with our reservations, we'll be going AAA on our july 10, 04, hope we get the same treatment

 

[WebmasterJohn]

Hi All

I know I went into detail about the stateroom gift a few months back on a similar thread on the boards so I won't bore you all with the details again. Needless to say everyone at Dreams Unlimited Travel was very disappointed that DCL changed their incentives and no longer offered the gift 'automatically' when 8 or more staterooms were booked in a non pre-arranged group. Dreams was encouraged to use this as an incentive to try to get our clients to add family and friends to their sail dates - and when it was changed without warning it left us looking like the 'bad guys'.

After several discussions with Disney management we were able to secure the gift for our clients traveling in 2003 where the gift had been already promised, and the number of staterooms on that sailing does not fall below 8. We are working very hard to try to secure the gift for our clients in 2004 and beyond were the sailing has 8 or more staterooms through some alternate avenues available to us.

This is why the count and wording about the gift was removed from the client services page. We did not want anyone else to encourage family and/or friends to sail with them, and use Dreams Unlimited, under the idea that they may be getting the gift.

If anyone is traveling in 2004 and had 8 staterooms booked prior to the wording being removed from your client services page (July 2003) please feel free to write to me directly and I will be happy to see if the gift has been secured for your stateroom/sailing.

Even if that is not the case and you would just like further clarification or information on the stateroom gift I would be happy to answer your questions.

Thanks
John

john@dreamsunlimitedtravel.com

 

[preb]

I believe that Dreams Unlimited gives all of us the gift of hosting this board full of invaluable information, which to me is much more important than a $20.00 bottle of wine.

Just my 2 cents

 

[ofiesty4u]

Originally posted by Favorite Auntie
We have never received anything fro AAA when we book through them....

We received something from our AAA agent... A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E. We didn't have a very pleasant experience from AAA. Not sure that we'd use them again.

 

[ofiesty4u]

Originally posted by tigger53
two years ago we booked with AAA and when we got to our room we had a bottle of champagne and an assorted fruit and cookie tray waiting for us, plus the gifts fron the castawy club, it was great, also before we left AAA sent two duffle type bags with our docs, also we got the soda mugs for the three of us included with our reservations, we'll be going AAA on our july 10, 04, hope we get the same treatment

Now why doesn't the WHOLE AAA "franchise" give the same treatment?

It's always nice to feel special.

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by preb
I believe that Dreams Unlimited gives all of us the gift of hosting this board full of invaluable information, which to me is much more important than a $20.00 bottle of wine.

Just my 2 cents

Yes but that is not the point...when you book and are promised something than that something should be followed through on.

 

[SueEllen]

AprilGail2--see WebmasterJohn's response above.

After several discussions with Disney management we were able to secure the gift for our clients traveling in 2003 where the gift had been already promised, and the number of staterooms on that sailing does not fall below 8. We are working very hard to try to secure the gift for our clients in 2004 and beyond were the sailing has 8 or more staterooms through some alternate avenues available to us.

Dreams is honoring the stateroom gift where applicable--and working on a solution for 2004. This was something that Disney took away from the agencies and I don't think it's fair to say that Dreams is not following through. John has clearly indicated that Dreams is following through on any sailings that had the promise of the gift and has more than 8 staterooms.

Sue Ellen

 

[crisi]

I don't know if these gifts come from the TA themselves or the franchised agency. The point is that someone pays for them. In the case of DU, Disney was paying for them DU booked eight or more rooms, AAA may have (or have had) a similar deal but on a franchise by franchise basis. Other agents will do this for you from their own commissions - the hope being that you will book your next trip from them as well if they treat you well and give you presents.

I'd rather be treated well than get presents, but I suspect there is a pretty high correlation between agents that work hard for your business and the ones that give gifts. On the other hand, I'd also like to see travel agents make a decent wage - and agency owners make enough of a profit that they stay in business and grow. If its the choice between my travel agent, Ceclia, buying something for her family, and me getting a photo album I wasn't expecting and won't use, Ceclia can keep that cash in her pocket. And if its the choice between an agency discounting the fare out of their comission to give me the lowest fare possible, and a beach towel, give me the low fare. If its the choice between the owner of the agency putting marble countertops in his bathroom, and me getting the photo album, give me the photo album.

Keep your expectations low - even if your last trip your agent or agency treated you like royalty - as the travel industry has seen profits nosedive the past several years. Travel agents comissions have been cut and there is less profit to go around for everyone.

(Then again, I'm the type of person that when DH shows up with flowers, I think about how much better off we'd be if we put that money towards the kids college).