Help with TA Issues!!!!!!!!

[KHarrod]

I think that my TA is charging way too much!!!!!!!!!!!! My wedding isnt until September 2009 and these are the prices she gave me based on double occupancy. NO AIRFARE INCLUDED!!!!!!!!!!! Just for the oceanview rooms for 3 nights $922, 4 nights $1170 and 5 nights $1418. OS she charging too much or is this the normal amount to charge?

[ochoriobride]

We are going with sunquest and it's 1600$ per person for a week. Airfaire and transfer included. 1400 for 5 days is pretty expensif

[bobbi-francis]

Yeah that's pretty expensive...is that charge per person or is that the room charge total? We are booked for 7 nights at $2700 airfare and hotel transfers included.

[MissyR]

that seems like a lot - just priced it for your dates on Expedia for this year from the 11th to the 15th with these flights:

 

Washington DC (DCA) to Montego Bay (MBJ) Depart: 9/11/08 2:20 PM - 7:00 PM American Airlines American Airlines

Montego Bay (MBJ) to Washington DC (DCA) Return: 9/15/08 2:55 PM - 9:50 PM American Airlines American Airlines

 

and it's $750 a person all in!

[bobbi-francis]

good suggestion Melissa!!

You should print out the quotes given by Expedia and Orbitz and take them to your TA...she should be able to beat it out of fear that you may book your trip elsewhere. if those are her final prices then

[KHarrod]

Thats what I thought if she saying that it's based on double occupancy it that the total amount for the room for two people? She has me so confused!!!!!

[KHarrod]

ok...so we have the date set at the Riu Ocho Rios 9/12/09 at 4pm:)

 

Here are the land only rates. These are total for 2 adults and include everything except the air. All meals, drinks, water & land sports, taxes, tips, and transfers are included.

[KHarrod]

[JenniferSS]

Typically when you are looking at prices this far out from your wedding date (especially for groups) they will be higher than what you will find for the same time period this year.

 

There are several reasons-

 

The hotel is generally the ones setting the price, not your TA- when providing a price the resort is trying to get as much of an ROI for the rooms as possible. Think about it- if you are doing a group this far out you are tying up inventory that they otherwise could sell to others groups, suppliers individuals ect.

 

To have that priveledge, (and yes the resorts consider it a priveledge- that may change if the economy takes enough of a dump and people stop traveling but so far occupancy rates are in the high 90 percentages for shoulder seasons and sold out in high season) the resort will charge a higher price just in case you need to cancel (it happens enough for it to be an issue) and the resort needs to resell that inventory later.

 

To get the price you are quoted,whether for groups or individual rates, they are guestimating what the rooms will price out at that time period (and keep in mind the Riu Ocho Rios is becoming a very popular resort and will command higher prices in general each year), and adding in inflation. The resorts do not want to quote themselves too low, have a contract signed(whether with a supplier or group) and end up losing money.

 

I also would like to address the prices provided in this thread with flights- they may be contracted or bulk fares which usually makes for a lower packaged price. You guys are not comparing apples to apples.

 

To truly find out if the price is above & beyond you would need to price the exact same dates & room categories with other suppliers.

 

Hope that this helped a bit to explain why things are the way they are!

 

TA Jennifer