quote:

Originally posted by jewel:
Hi Missie~ The 'sold out' terminology was just an example, 'almost fully booked' could be used instead. However, TT are very good at changing the status as we have all seen, so if they receive a mass cancellation, why couldn't they change the status to something like " selling fast" or " Hot Tour" or maybe even "hurry, seats limited" or (Brainwave ) "new seats released" instills a sense of urgency for potential passengers.

no where to go in trying to sell another tour for a different date,
Sorry Missie but I am confused about why you say this. Of course Trafalgar can sell another tour on a different date, after all that's what is happening now isn't it?

Jewel ~ what I am trying to say here is that (we shall use Sold Out as an example) if Trafalgar publically say a tour is sold out then the prospective customer is going to start to look elsewhere for a similar tour, whereas if Trafalgar still gets the phone call it at least give them the opportunity to sell that person a similar tour on the same date or the same tour a few days later.

As far as using different terminology is concerned this would really only be applied to the website and it has been proven in the past that only a very small majority of people use this website. For Trafalgar to instigate the selling fast" or “Hot Tour" or maybe even "hurry, seats limited" or (Brainwave ) "new seats released" instils a sense of urgency for potential passengers. This would require an expensive advertising campaign which I doubt they would do.

quote:

Originally posted by jewel:
... ....why couldn't they change the status to something like " selling fast" or " Hot Tour" or maybe even "hurry, seats limited" or (Brainwave ) "new seats released" instills a sense of urgency for potential passengers.

jewel ~ You should be in marketing, several of your suggestions sound very workable.

Why can’t a tour that is nearly full and therefore listed as “please call” not also be shown as “guaranteed”. In fact, logically, a tour that is almost full should be “guaranteed”.

quote:

Originally posted by joe d:
Why can’t a tour that is nearly full and therefore listed as “please call” not also be shown as “guaranteed”. In fact, logically, a tour that is almost full should be “guaranteed”.

Simple and elegant. Of course, that's an excellent solution, Joe.

Brenda

Hi everyone

Please see Missies suggestions for the reason why it is called 'Please call'.

Bookings move in and out of the system very quickly so therefore we can't suggest that a standard tour is definite. We need to ensure that we can fill the tours but if the tour is full we would like to offer an alternative to a customer.

This terminology may change when online booking becomes available to agents and consumers. As information will not need to pass through a Trafalgar booking agent before it gets to the system, therefore allowing for more regular updates.

Kind Regards
TTWeb

TTWeb: This still doesn't address the ambiguity in the phrase, "please call" which was my main point in both this and your own thread above. It doesn't suggest who the phrase's intended audience is, or who should call, and where? Is one expected to know when checking on a date for one's departure online that one should call their own T.A. about availability or feasibility of the tour's departure?

I'm not being deliberately picky here, and I think Missie's explanation of the business aspect of it is correct, but that still only addresses Trafalgar's concerns, not the customer's. That's what I'm trying to understand.

Brenda

Many months ago, I booked and paid for a GD for this September. Quite a while back, the GD designation suddenly disappeared from the web site, and my departure date was marked REQUEST. Naturally, this did not inspire confidence. I was told that it meant my tour was almost full. The difference between "Please Call" and "Request" was never explained to me. Nor was it ever explained why the GD had to disappear just because the tour was almost full. That made no sense at all. Now I see the GD is back, but the "Request" still stands. Confusing, to say the least.

quote:

Originally posted by Otto:
"please call"

means

the tour is guaranteed to go but few seats are still available. It depends on number of persons and starting airport, clients may/can be arranged into this tour.

One of cases is

this land tour still has seats but it is no seat available for new air included customers in certain areas.

another case is

bus has the last seat which can be sold to a single customer.

I agree "please call" is not a clear way to show the booking status.

Just to throw something else in the mix.... I booked on the European Cavalcade leaving Sept. 1, which went on the dreaded 'please call' status with the GD disappearing. I was worried to death about it. When making final payment, I had my travel agent inquire and they said that one bus was full, but that they were currently selling a second bus.

Just complicates things more.....

To me, the problem in a nutshell is that the "GD" disappears and "please call" suddenly appears. If "please call" means the tour is almost full, why take the "GD" away? It makes no sense. I've had it happen to me too and had I not been on several tours already, I might have panicked.

quote:

Originally posted by Jeannie118:
To me, the problem in a nutshell is that the "GD" disappears and "please call" suddenly appears. If "please call" means the tour is almost full, why take the "GD" away? It makes no sense. I've had it happen to me too and had I not been on several tours already, I might have panicked.

Jeannie ~ This is exactly the scenario we faced with our upcoming U.S. tour. I found it discomforting & had my TA phone TT.

Wouldn't it save a lot of phone calls if the wording was clearer or at least the GD did not disappear?

It isn't just Trafalgar who use the words "Please Call" ****** and ****** both say under their GD, "On request" or Open.

To me "On request" is the same as "Please Call"

What we all need to take into consideration is that touring is a business and Trafalgar or anyone else for that matter need to use these words to fill as many tours as possible, that way it keeps the prices down and the tours hopefully full.

I understand peoples frustrations in not knowing what is going on with their tours, but all it takes is an email to your TA's and the matter is settled.

quote:

I understand peoples frustrations in not knowing what is going on with their tours, but all it takes is an email to your TA's and the matter is settled.

Ah but is it??? I think not if you read other posters communications with their TA all is not clear even to them at times.

quote:

Originally posted by spooky walnut:

quote:

I understand peoples frustrations in not knowing what is going on with their tours, but all it takes is an email to your TA's and the matter is settled.

Ah but is it??? I think not if you read other posters communications with their TA all is not clear even to them at times.

Spooky ~ I have read other posters threads, all I am saying is that tour bookings are not set in concrete, things change on a daily basis, it is not possible as TTWeb said to update the website at minutes notice.

What do you suggest is a better solution?

quote:

Originally posted by jewel:
Hi Missie~ The 'sold out' terminology was just an example, 'almost fully booked' could be used instead. However, TT are very good at changing the status as we have all seen, so if they receive a mass cancellation, why couldn't they change the status to something like " selling fast" or " Hot Tour" or maybe even "hurry, seats limited" or (Brainwave ) "new seats released" instills a sense of urgency for potential passengers.

Jewel ~ I received this today from Trafalgar so I presume they saw your thread and promptly started advertising.

Trafalgar Sale