Mrs Toad,

I am really stressed reading these posts from you and with our trip starting Monday know how I felt when we had 4 weeks to go and no documents so started asking. We did get them about 2.5 weeks from leaving thankfully. I hope you get the time to let us know that all is well and you have all you need. Good luck, have a great time it's a great country. Eat up, great food!! Only 4 sleeps for me to go and 1 work shift!!! YEah.

When a package is sent UPS, a tracking number is provided. With the tracking number, any package can be located from departure moment to the minute it is signed for. No tracking number, the package wasn't sent.

www.ups.com click on tracking

Aussiebird, I hope you have a great holiday

Thanks Jewel we are really getting hyped up to it now. Sent flight details to our friends in New Orleans and Wichita who we will stay with after our TT. Feels like we are really going now. Only now to pack that bag.

quote:

Originally posted by Roxy:
When a package is sent UPS, a tracking number is provided. With the tracking number, any package can be located from departure moment to the minute it is signed for. No tracking number, the package wasn't sent.

www.ups.com click on tracking

They had the tracking number; the package location was unknown? It's possible that both my TA and I will receive packets. If they truly sent it 2 day delivery, I'll have it tomorrow.

They said that the delay was due to my TA using a PO Box for delivery, and UPS will only deliver to a home address, so they had to contact her to get her address. (Why didn't let her know when taking the original reservation?) But since she has always responded to me in 24 hours or less, that should not have caused this much of a delay.

Then, they either couldn't find the tracking number when she contacted them, or there was no tracking number. They got back to her with the tracking number cannot find the package explanation.

I think that they just forgot to factor in the holiday, which made even the slightest delay have a greater impact than usual. It is also possible that UPS is not making as many trips, due to the increase in fuel price, and downturn in the economy (less people shopping) so that there may have been an additional delay.

I hate to use the "perfect storm" cliche, but that may be what happened here.

Everyone but yours truly (who paid in full weeks ago) contributed.

I'm prepared - my suitcase is already packed (33 pounds) but I'm going to do a little more paring down once I rechecked all of the suggested packing lists, and do some serious thinking about whether or not I reallyneed an item. I already eliminated styling dryer (I really won't have time, so pulling my hair back into a barrette will be the way to go) and small electric fan (I'm hoping I'll be so exhausted that I'll fall asleep, and stay that way, despite the heat and 3 AM hot flash)I'm also interested in unpacking one of the plastic clothing bags and checking the condition (wrinkles) of the items.

Mrs. Toad: You have more patience with the people behind your delayed docs than I would have. Yes you had a 4day holiday (4th of July) and possibly the parcel delivery company is cutting back on deliveries but Trafalgar should have been aware of these problems and taken steps to have anticipated the delays and sent your docs out earlier. They state that they send the docs out 21days prior to departure but that doesn't seem to be the case most of the time lately. I suggest TAs notify Trafalgar to send the docs out early (client will be away 21-14days prior to departure) and in this way they will arrive in plenty of time. Purvis

Signed for packages cannot be sent to a P.O. Box. (obviously no one there to sign) A TA should know that.

Anyone waiting for a package, get the tracking number from the sender (they have to give it to you and they log them in so it's available) Then track it yourself. Why wonder and fret It's easy. Any mysteries, escalate the matter.

We leave in 22 days for our Trafalgar/Uniworld cruise through France. I have just had an email from our UK based TA asking for a snail mail address as he has our documents and Uniworld will not allow him to send soft copies.

All I really want is to know if we will be met at the airport and a telephone number plus 'address' for the boat in case something goes wrong. But we do our own "air", having Trafalgar do it is not an option.

This is our first time travelling with a tour, and my & my son's first trip to Europe. My husband visited Italy on liberty, but the US Navy provided all of the transportation.

I chose to go with a tour, as I didn't want to be stressed out with planning every day, or having others say they were too tired, etc to do very much. This way, we would be forced (especially my son) to hop out of bed and go.

But because of my lack of experience, I thought that a first class, premier level tour would be more luxurious than what we're actually getting.

Thanks to visiting this forum, at least that won't be shock to us.

But the double talk I'm getting is really starting to concern me. My TA (who I have known and used for years, and who has always gone the extra mile for me) tells me one thing (ie, TT said they would deliver the packet to me via 2 day UPS) and TT tells me another. (We have no record of anyone telling your TA that the packet was being sent to you; your TA was mistaken) They said that their records show my TA got the packet yesterday. This was at 4PM; TT said they would call my TA, and either she or they would get back to me.

I just called my TA. TT never called her, and the packet has not arrived. Her UPS deliveries don't come until around 5PM, so she will call TT if it doesn't arrive. She also said that she KNEW UPS needed a street address, so she gave it to TT back in January, and has included it on all correspondence with them.

She will overnight it to me via USPS as soon as it arrives...whenever that may be.

So, it appears that unless the TT agent I spoke with is mistaken, and the packet was really sent to me, the soonest I will have my packet is Monday - 6 days before my flight.

My TA, in NJ, has just gotten the documents that were supposed to be shipped to me via 2 day UPS. But TT said they would ship a set directly to me, also. (PKG #3) My TA will check the tracking # in the morning, and if they have not been shipped, she will overnight her set to me Monday morning, so, one way or another, I will have my documents on Tuesday. Or perhaps 2 sets of documents.

Stay tuned for the next installment. If preparations are any indication of what lies ahead, my tour report should be a dozy.

quote:

Originally posted by Mrs Toad:
My TA, in NJ, has just gotten the documents that were supposed to be shipped to me via 2 day UPS. But TT said they would ship a set directly to me, also. (PKG #3) My TA will check the tracking # in the morning, and if they have not been shipped, she will overnight her set to me Monday morning, so, one way or another, I will have my documents on Tuesday. Or perhaps 2 sets of documents.

Stay tuned for the next installment. If preparations are any indication of what lies ahead, my tour report should be a dozy.

At least you are making progress. Just as well you have been proactive about this or who knows what would have happened.

quote:

Originally posted by Mrs Toad:

But the double talk I'm getting is really starting to concern me. My TA (who I have known and used for years, and who has always gone the extra mile for me) tells me one thing (ie, TT said they would deliver the packet to me via 2 day UPS) and TT tells me another.

I am having the same issue myself over another matter. Straight answer? Can't be done!

Again, checking a UPS tracking number on line is as simple as could be.

Get the number, just ask for it, plug it in on the website an voila the history of the package is there from time of departure, to who signed for it-date and time.

Why listen to stories when one can verify it themselves without all the who said and did what. Relieves a lot of anxiety.

I'd even do it after it arrives just to see the real deal.

TT says UPS could not find the original package. My (or my TA) having the tracking number would not have made a difference. If TT had never sent the package, there would be no tracking number. Regardless, TT said they could not find the tracking number when my TA spoke with them, and she couldn't find it.

She has the second package, which was supposed to be shipped directly to me, so I know I will have my information. There is also a third package that was supposed to be shipped Friday directly to me by TT. So I may end up with two sets of documents.

If the original package never shows up, there is no way I can find out who signed for it, etc, so I will never know for sure whether UPS lost it, or it was never sent.

I just feel that TT should provide a little more wiggle room in sending out documents just in case anything goes wrong, especially around a holiday. They should have been sent out the last week in June (IMO) rather than the first week of July, in order to get them to me 3 weeks before departure.

I will not completely relax until they are in my hands.

Yes you should have had your documents by now. TT normal is 21 days out but have had circumstances when they did not come until 21 days. I have even had TT fax me something when it was not in with the documents. Most of the info you could have faxed over. Since you don't get the bags anymore it's not like you get a large package.
Why not have your TA also fax you a set so you have the info before it gets to you.