Vent about my TA

Ok, so I think this is the best place to post this....

I'm not sure who I should be frustrated with, our travel agent or our resort. We got in touch with the TA as soon as we decided where we wanted to get married. This was in early December, and the resort didn't have the prices published for 2009 yet.

In Feb., she was able to send me prices for the week before our wedding, but they didnt' have the prices published for the week we were getting married yet. Ok, at least we have an idea. They were thinking a week or two.

Late Feb., the resort lets me actually sign the contract and book the date for Jan. 2009. TA says the prices should be out that week or next.

A month later...Save the dates have been mailed...still, no concrete $$ to give guests. I put an "idea" of the price in the STD's. Guests keep asking me (have been since Dec) I still have to say "I don't know yet".

I email the TA almost every week. I realize I'm being a pest, but I want people to know how much so they have time to save.

I emailed her yesterday...she wrote me back today with "I don't want you to think I'm avoiding you, but I am". Apparently whomever she has to go through is giving her the run arround and she's embarassed that this has been happening and she can't get me a price.

I wrote her back and told her I understant and it sucks when other people make you look bad. I asked her if there was any way to cut out this other person and for her to work directly with the resort....

I'm just frustrated. It's about 9 months till our wedding. We want to put a deposit down on our room (already put one down for the wedding), my parents, best man, maid of honor and numerous others want to get the ball rolling, but..."we don't have prices yet". The only thing that makes me feel better, is that even if you go to the resorts website, you can't get into 2009 to book.

Ok, I think I'm done venting for now...

It sucks.. I dont understand why they dont have anything until less than a year before.. doesnt give much planning time.

Have you tried getting pricing on your own directly thru the resort?

The resort quoted me a "group" price, with the standard 10% increase over last year. TA said she might be able to get a better deal, they don't always go up 10%.

I'd rather have the TA take care of all (or most) of the travel plans, I'd be a nut job if I was doing it.

FI's sister gave me a heart attack one day. She told me they were all booked up (which didn't make sense to me) but if you go to expedia or orbits or one of those sites and go to the Moon Palace it says that there's no availability Jan 17, 2009...turns out that's because they haven't released any rooms yet.

is it too late for you to switch TAs? we have so many good ones that are also members of this forum!

http://bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/t10706

http://bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/t18231

I wish I had found this Forum before I had things set! I would have used a TA from here.

Unfortunately...our STD's went out already, with all of her contact info...

Hi...

sorry to hear you are going through this one..

My experience was similar in that prices for our time of travel had not yet been released online yet. I looked into several TA's, including MP groups for weddings (which is an agency - World Vacation Travel). 11 - 12 months prior, each of the TAs were able to provide a solid quote for our time of travel, eventhough not yet released online (i.e. expedia), including palaceresorts.com until about May. '07 for Dec. '07.

With that, I think christa's suggestion is a good one. Not sure who you spoke to w/ MP but it is worth a second look, especially since you are waiting. Even if you do not plan to use them, you can have that info in your back pocket in your negotiations w/ your TA.

Also, are you tied to this TA? she doesnt seem to be producing results... which to me warrants looking elsewhere for services...

hope this helps..

~andrea.

I think I am going to wait another week or two and then start looking around for a new TA.

My parents and their friends have used this TA before, and we're using her for our trip to Cancun in September...so in a way, I do feel kind of tied to her.

We met with another TA before deciding to use this one, and that was a horrible meeting. I also feel bad because I know she knows she should be producing and she isn't, it's not like she's clueless...ya know?