Warning: Travel Agent Scam

[LifeIsCruising]

I almost hate to post this but feel obligated to do so.

I know for a fact that a good travel agent can have a very positive influence on all the elements that make for a fabulous cruise.

I know for a fact that smart cruisers do scour the Internet searching for information that wil help them make an informed buying decision. Those are the smart ones, the ones that do their homework then let a competent travel agent handle the details and perhaps blow them away from time to time with some excellent values they might not have been privy to otherwise. In other words; the savy cruiser looks around on the Internet to find out what is being offered but realizes that a cruise travel agent lives and breathes the industry and knows what's going on. They know that knowledge can reap great rewards for them.

A disturbing practice which I have never agreed with but which is quite common in the travel industry is making big waves lately and deserves your considerartion before making an informed buying decision.

It has to do with who processeses the payments you make for your cruise

I'll just get right down to the meat of it here right now

It is pretty common for travel agencies to take your deposit money or payment money and hold it for a while before paying the cruise line. Lots of travel agencies do this and have for decades without any problems. That was just the way it was done.

What I am seeing way too frequently are passengers who have paid their travel agency money but go to get on the ship and find out that their cruise was NOT paid and that they can not get on the ship. It is tragic but there is not a lot I can do for them which brings me to this forum to write this.

There is a simple way to make sure this does not happen to you.

Odds are that the major cruise lines are not going to be going out of business. When you are talking to a travel agency about booking a cruise ask "Will I see your agency or the cruise line on my bank or credit card statement when I make payments?"

If they say "the travel agency", run.

Fast

There is no logical reason for a travel agency to hold your money. Your credit/debit card statement should indicate that the charge was run on the cruise line, never the travel agency. If there is a problem you know exactly who got your money.

This may seem trivial but it really is not. The last thing I want to hear is a story about how someone did not get to board because their travel agency was late or didnt post a payment, causing problems at embarkation

[jtutak]

Very good advise.

[rogue]

Thanks for the advise, Chris. It's good to know.

[Chucksta63]

Very Good Advice!

I have the cruise line run all our payments. My clients can see on their statement that the cruise line charged their credit card. I see no reason to hold any of the clients money. Even when paid in check or cash I put it into the group fund towards their cabin & booking!

I have heard of this practice too & don't like it. I like to go on all the groups I work with. I think the clients like the fact their agent is on board too!

[GottaCruz]

Great info, Chris. Thanks for posting it. And, it's great to have you posting here.

[cruisetarp]

Great advise Chris and thanks for telling us about this.

[hazelson]

Worth thinking about - that's for sure!

[CanadianCruiser]

I am posting my honest opinion here.

I don't believe this to be scam perse, It only becomes a scam if the agent withholds payment of your vacation from the cruiseline / tour operator.

As a bonded and licensed Travel Agent in the province of Ontario we have many large Travel agencies that I personally have dealt with and they have all charged my credit card personally, AAA, Sears, iTravel2000, etc indicating that because they charge my credit card (and not the tour operator ) they are scam artists is

slanderous.

I know of many people who do not own a credit card, and paying for a cruise with a debit card from Ontario is not an option. Our debit cards are strictly for banking / ATM use only and not set up as they are in the USA.

Travellers need to be educated on thier purchases and rule number one for any large purchase is never pay cash. Whether it's for a a new roof, windows or your vacation.

Using Your Intuition

It's important to feel out a prospective travel agent to see if you can build a rapport with them. This can be done even when you're dealing with an Internet agency, through phone calls or e-mails. Face-to-face meetings are not necessary. The correct answers to your direct questions are what count.

Before you even ask for a price quote, inquire the knowledge and personality of that agent you may be putting in charge of your hard earned vacation. If you get the right feel about this person, you then ask for a price quote.

A price comparison is the logical place to start assessing your agent's abilities: Is the quote the same as or lower than the cruise line's? If it is the same (as it will be in many cases), will the agent add any perks to sweeten the deal ? Sometimes but should the perk make or break the deal ? Price alone may not always be the best factor in determining which agent to book through. We want the best price, but we also want assistance and service when we need it.

I have seen cases where the best service was supplied by the agent submitting the lowest priced quote. This is when you have to rely on your good judgment to evaluate which agent will deliver what they promise. Getting recommendations from friends and family members doesn't hurt.

Over the years, I've seen much discussion about whether it's best to use a local travel agent, who you can see face-to-face, vs. an Internet or e-mail based agency. In my view, there is no clear answer. Many Internet-based agency are simply extensions of "brick and mortar" agencies. In most cases, you are still dealing with real people rather than machines, so the answer again becomes your judgment and trust in the agent you hire.

Bottom line .............consumers need to educate themselves and as agents we can assist in this.

Lisa

[elfed]

I don't fully understand this. Doesn't the cruise line send the final documents to the passenger? Surely they will not issue the documents before all payments has been received by them. ( I admit I only scanned the previous posts)

Regards,

James.

[CanadianCruiser]

James,

the cruiseline/tour operator sends the documents to the Travel agent if an agent was used. If the client makes the booking directly with tour operator then they are sent to the client.

And no documents are not sent unless paid in full.

Lisa