Centurion Travel - got a favourite consultant?

[mhh]

I'm a new Cent card holder. I recently took the family to Europe but struggled with CTS due to a part-time and mediocre consultant who was never there when I needed her.

Would anyone be willing to share the name of a good consultant within CTS in Australia? I have another Europe leisure trip coming up and I'm almost tempted to forgo the C benefits and book it myself on-line. But I'd like to try another CTS consultant before I give up.

TIA

 

[MrSpokeyTokey]

I'm a new Cent card holder. I recently took the family to Europe but struggled with CTS due to a part-time and mediocre consultant who was never there when I needed her.

Would anyone be willing to share the name of a good consultant within CTS in Australia? I have another Europe leisure trip coming up and I'm almost tempted to forgo the C benefits and book it myself on-line. But I'd like to try another CTS consultant before I give up.

TIA

Oh man! I hear you!

I'm trying to organise a trip to the US and have the exact same problem.
It seems all the consultants work part time and so it may take days before they get back to you. This is very annoying!
And it seems as though they don't pass on your request to any other consultant while they're away.
Seriously for $4300 annually, you'd think they would have a tag team set up whereby 2 'part time' consultants look after each member's request. That way, the member will get some level of continuity and quicker service.
I too am on the verge of going on the internet and booking everything myself.
I've resisted so far because I'd like to get 'something' for my annual fee.

Frustrated,

MrSpokeyTokey

 

[Homer]

They definitely have full time consultants. They need to do a weekend roster every so often which, when they do, means they will have a weekday off in lieu. They also "tag team". I'm currently in LA and I emailed my consultant to change a flight and her supervisor (my former consultant before she was promoted) replied on my consultant's behalf because she was off.

 

[xtoss]

While not Centurion, I'll throw in that even though it's lower, platinum travel service was a slow experience for me and the flights more expensive than 2 other travel agents.

Bad experience probably.. but left a sour taste in my mouth

 

[greenfrog86]

I only have a Platinum card, however have found the consultants to be pretty good where required...

This included calling on a weekend and having them say 'I can see you've been dealing with X and he's left notes on blah blah. I'd be happy to finalised those arrangements for you'...

When I got the confirmation document they'd prepared it in their colleague's name etc.

I've also noticed that both Platinum and Centurion Travel have shared 'inboxes' where you can access the wider team through a supervisor should your consultant not be in...

I've used this before and my email was replied to by a Centurion supervisor who coordinated to get a team member to action my request.

I know this doesn't solve for your service expectations, however if you use some of these tips you might find things a little easier.

FWIW we use this type of shared inbox where I work and find it a great way to ensure that messages can be re-routed where a particular person is not available.

 

[mhh]

Thanks everyone. The friend who nominated me for the Black card says he has a good consultant. I'll try her before I give up altogether on CTS. The whole Centurion experience is pretty ho hum so far.

 

[NSWhere]

Would any of you share an example where the CTS has actually saved you time? I am considering accepting an invitation to Centurion and the concierge service is appealing. I am hesitant, however, because I can't see how taking the time to explain to someone else what I want could be quicker than booking it myself online these days...

 

[Homer]

If you’ve got plenty of time and are making simple trips then it’s easier to book online. For example, I book domestic flights online all the time. I also book domestic accommodation myself. However for complex international itineraries I have found a travel agent is really useful.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Centurion Ecperience so far............

Had Cent for 2 months now - have booked 3 x MEL-PVG flights and maybe 10 different hotel bookings within China as well as 6 different hotel bookings in Italy and Greece during July.

Spoke with CTS and got quotes for ALL flights and accom - they could not get anywhere near what I could book online or with Flight Centre.

As far as the Italy / Greece accom it took CTS 3 days to get back to me with quotes which were 20 to 30% higher than the direct online prices.

Had a complex matter to deal with - CTS screwed up it up totally - Flight Centre got it right first time - quoted me price - I paid on the spot.

To date Cent card totally useless - TOTALLY - but is still early days.

 

[xtoss]

Re: Centurion Ecperience so far............

Had Cent for 2 months now - have booked 3 x MEL-PVG flights and maybe 10 different hotel bookings within China as well as 6 different hotel bookings in Italy and Greece during July.

Spoke with CTS and got quotes for ALL flights and accom - they could not get anywhere near what I could book online or with Flight Centre.

As far as the Italy / Greece accom it took CTS 3 days to get back to me with quotes which were 20 to 30% higher than the direct online prices.

Had a complex matter to deal with - CTS screwed up it up totally - Flight Centre got it right first time - quoted me price - I paid on the spot.

To date Cent card totally useless - TOTALLY - but is still early days.

wow... this is basically my experience on platinum travel service to a tee but not as many flights!

 

[MrSpokeyTokey]

If you’ve got plenty of time and are making simple trips then it’s easier to book online. For example, I book domestic flights online all the time. I also book domestic accommodation myself. However for complex international itineraries I have found a travel agent is really useful.

Yeah, I agree with Homer.

If the trip is not complicated, I don't even bother with the CTS.

However, I'm currently using the CTS to organise a trip to NYC and Disney World.

I have no idea with regards to the accommodation at either place, and rather than trawling through the internet with it's infinite options, I've asked the CTS to recommend suitable places for 2 adults and 2 children.

They provide me with the options and I just choose one.

I guess that's an example of how you can save time.

I can always rely on Centurion to recommend reputable and comfortable places, not some dump.
Furthermore, by booking through the CTS you may eligible for Centurion benefits such as room upgrade, included breakfast and late check out etc.

Can I save if I book directly from the internet? Probably, but not always.
Surprisingly, sometimes the CTS can get cheaper rates than what I see on the internet for the same place.

I guess it all boils down to how valuable your time is worth.

My only gripe with CTS is sometimes they take too long to get back to me.
I still think they should assign 2 people to one case, like a tag team.
I know others have said that they do, but the evidence indicates otherwise.
It takes days for them to get back to me!
Maybe I'm being too impatient.

MrSpokeyTokey

 

[NSWhere]

Between google maps, tripadvisor et al it rarely takes more than an hour or two to book even complex multi-week bookings (a recent trip through eastern Europe using air/bus/train/hire car is an example). Couple that with my impatience plus my pet hate of having to do something that someone claimed to be able to do for me I doubt the Centurion concierge is for me. I'm a bit disappointed because I kind of wanted to hear otherwise to help justify the spend!

 

[Homer]

Don’t forget there are other benefits to using Centurion Travel. I was just in the US and when we arrived at our hotel in San Diego the front desk person said that there had been a mistake with our booking dates (at their end) and that our room type as booked was unavailable but, after consulting with her manager in the office, came back and said “because we value our relationship with American Express” we had been double-upgraded. Now I know upgrades happen - I get them courtesy of AMEX all the time - but this wasn’t a bog-standard Hilton or other business hotel, it was The Grand Del Mar. We wound up in a 140sqm suite worth $1,200 per night and yet we were only paying just over half that amount.

Similarly I take advantage of significant discounts on air fares in F and J that I simply would not be able to do if I was booking online. Sometimes other TAs have these fares and sometimes they don’t.

 

[mhh]

Don’t forget there are other benefits to using Centurion Travel. I was just in the US and when we arrived at our hotel in San Diego the front desk person said that there had been a mistake with our booking dates (at their end) and that our room type as booked was unavailable but, after consulting with her manager in the office, came back and said “because we value our relationship with American Express” we had been double-upgraded. Now I know upgrades happen - I get them courtesy of AMEX all the time - but this wasn’t a bog-standard Hilton or other business hotel, it was The Grand Del Mar. We wound up in a 140sqm suite worth $1,200 per night and yet we were only paying just over half that amount.

I had the same thing happen in LA at Sunset Marquis. Got an upgrade from a standard room to a villa. Best upgrade I've ever had. It happened on a standard Amex.

For my $4K black card fee, I was expecting a better than average travel agent with a direct dial number who could match the service I get from Flight Centre Corporate who my business uses. I've been travelling too long to be fooled by promises of "upgrades" - sometimes this just means a standard room with a fractionally better view of the courtyard. Late checkouts are valuable and fare discounts are nice but mostly it is about the service. You don't expect to chase the consultant only to get an itinerary with an impossible flight connection like I got on my Greece vacation last month booked through CTS - I can manage that sort of stupidity myself.

By the way, I'm only talking international travel here. I book everything domestic myself on line.

 

[mhh]

Yeah, I agree with Homer.

If the trip is not complicated, I don't even bother with the CTS.

However, I'm currently using the CTS to organise a trip to NYC and Disney World.

I have no idea with regards to the accommodation at either place, and rather than trawling through the internet with it's infinite options, I've asked the CTS to recommend suitable places for 2 adults and 2 children.

MrSpokeyTokey

Slightly OT, but in NYC we (family of 4) stayed at Beacon Hotel on Broadway at 75th Street last Sept/Oct and were very happy with the 2 bedroom suite. Full of Aussies though. Wifey found it after extensive research.