Unable to pay BA travel agent with credit card. Help
 

Have planned a 16 day trip to Argentina using a travel agent in BA. Now they tell me they do not take credit cards. Found the agent through this site, but I would feel more comfortable using a credit card in case we get burned. Is this standard and if so does anyone know how to use the card to make a bank transfer. Thanks.

I agree with the reason for your hesitation.

If you have a little time before your trip, would you be able to back out and go with another travel agent who does take credit cards?

WOW! Argentina <http://www.wowargentina.com.ar/> made all or our travel arrangements and they take Visa and American Express.

This is not that unusual for TA to request cash payment for some services and reervations. Many of the smaller hotels outside of BA don't take credit cards which requires the TA to deal in cash. Over half our trip was a cash transfer directly to the account of the TA from our bank with the remainder paid by credit card. The credit card charge didn't clear for 6 weeks so that may be an issue for the TA also if it takes them that long to get their fees reimbursed. If you are comfortable with the TA(knew ours), it should be OK. You probably could take a cash advance against the credit card to make the bank transfer, but usually there are high fees for that plus there is a fee for the bank transfer. You probably would be better off using the bank directly for the transfer money. The use of credit cards in BA is very normal, and there are ATMs everywhere which also work, but you should notify the credit card companies you will be in Argentina or they may be denied for security reasons. Are you sure you would be protected by your credit card for an international transaction since some only cover domestic charges. In any case, Argentina is wonderful!

barieb:

As I understand, cash is normal for Argentina and likely many other places.

Agents get burned with credit cards as well as the cash problems already mentioned on ths thread.

We travelled with Argentina Escapes year before last and they arranged a 9 week trip. This included air, cruise, tours, all transfers, all hotels and some special events.

When we were requested to pay cash in advance, I did a credit check and found them to be good.

Better yet, after we had paid, we were not disappointed and in fact are now planning another trip with Mercedes at Argentina Escapes.

They requested payment to their bank in Miami. I telephoned the bank to verify that the agent had a business account with that bank and all the names checked out fine.

We did give our creidt card to Argentina Escapes for internal air travel.

We will have no problem sending cash for our next trip.

Hope this is of help.

Woodie

As a seasoned traveler to Argentina I have one question to you, are you sdure you are dealing with a travel agency, a duly registered travel agency ? That is the key, if you are most likely they would accept credit cards...I would not use someone that does not take credit cards. Why set side the security of paying with a credit card?

What about doing a wire transfer,at least for a deposit?

I paid for some of my hotels and all of my internal flights and a Tango show with my AMX and Visa Cards
for my trip to Argentina last month. I used Isabel at:
[email protected] I too tend to feel more comfortable using a Travel agent who accepts credit cards. Some small hotels in the country side or apartments might not accept credit cards but most places should take cards although everyone in Argentina seems to prefer cash.

We too used Mercedes at AE and wire-transferred full payment for the first trip (cc for air flights), the last trip she arranged, we paid her in person.

Woody, I'm so jealous you're going to AR again, Mercedes is the best, loved working with her on both our trips and are thinking about a third to, still have not made it to El Calafate.

Owlwoman:

Don't be jelous. I am old and retired so I have time to plan and to travel. You will get there too. Most [lucky] people do.

On our next trip to Argentina we want to stay put in one place for a while and then stop in Buenos Aires for a while.

We have travelled to Iguazu Falls on our first trip during November and December. Also to Salta, Bariloche and down to Ushuia with many points between. That was about 12 years ago or more. It was a wonderful trip.

Our last trip was first to Chile [Punta Arenas] and then up to Santiago and on to Mendoze,Argentina, to San Juan province and finally to Buenos Aires.

Our next trip will be to the Galapagos for a week and then two months in Argentina just veging out in one spot before Buenos Aires and then home.

I am still looking for a quiet place to R&R in warm and friendly Argentina for that time. My wife and I would like to rent a cottage, condo or apartment for some quiet living, about a month. Hopefully we will have some intersting day trips to to go on nearby.

Any suggestions? I am thinking of Trelew and peninsula Valdes area. We were there on our first trip and saw penguin and the right whales. As we plan to be in Argentina during Jan 15 to March 15 this may not be the best time for animal viewing.

Any ideas?

Yes, we found Mercedes to be very good and Argntina Escapes good to deal with. I have no problem paying them in advance. No reason for them to worry about getting paid after they have comitted themselves to the various hotels and sub agents along the way.

Woodie

We haven't made it to Trelew, so I cannot comment there. I've always thought AR might be a nice place to spend our winter when I'm able to retire (my husband is ready, I'm a little younger). We liked the Bariloche area and there seems to be plenty of nice day trips to do from there. That might be where I would choose.

Or, maybe a month in Bariloche then a few weeks in Mendoza. Loved the wine area too....but then again, the suburbs of BA are nice (San Isidro), then you'd still have access to BA for culture, etc. and flights to different parts of the country.

It's a tough decision, so many nice places.

I'm sure Mercedes will steer you in the right direction.

Have fun.!

Wanted to second the recommendation that Orlando Vic made. We have used wowargentina on two occasions and highly recommend them. Professional, knowledgeable, responsive - and they take credit cards. Cintia Stella and her spouse are owners and operators of the company.

barieb:

I would not hesitate to send cash, cash money transfer or other means of paper cash transfer to them other than a credit card although I have no problem using my credit card.

Three months ago my wife and I wanted to send a cash money gift to some friends' daughter as a wedding gift. Not only did we not know what to get them and they certainly would know, but a physical gift can be hazardous from a delivery point, so off we went and sent a bank transfer, our bank in Canada to their bank in Buenos Aires.

After three months of hassel, the [no longer so newly] weds finally got their money.

If business has to go through that or worse for a credit card, I do not wonder why they prefer cash and that to be sent to a bank in Miami Florida. Just cashing an AMEX traveler cheque at a Bs. As. bank was a real hassel.

I would certainly never work without getting paid. If an employer diddled me around for three months, I would be long gone and I am sure you would be too.

So why should a good travel agent put up with that stuff? If they are willing to take a credit card and that is how you strongly prefer to pay, Sure, why not? But I would not let a cash request stop me from dealing with a good [recommended] travel agent and so miss out on their experience and connections.

Have a good one.

Yes, owlwoman, we have been to Bariloche but that was during student break week. Big mistake. Bariloche was crowded and the students partied in the street ALL night. That was over 10 years ago but I am sure it has not changed much if at all.

We were in Mendoza on our last trip. Not big on wine, but it was an interesting stop. We also went to San Juan city and San Juan province after Mendoza and found that much more to our liking.

Take care all and enjoy before you have to sit in a rocking chair and drool.

Woodie

Woodie,

Most people I know in Argentina use banks from Uruguay or Miami or some off shore island because they do not trust the entire banking system in their own country (all they need to do is look back to 2001 as proof). Even banks with international connections such as CitiBank are problematic in Argentina....

This said, many travel-related businesses have started taking credit cards because of feedback they have received from international travelers who resist the idea of sending cash abroad to an agency they do not know or trust....

San Juan is on my list of places I want to visit.....thanks for the prompt...

Oh, and while Bariloche may be overrun with students, there are a number of places in the lakes area that are more tranquil....such as SAn Martin de los Andes.

I believe that if you are dealing with a duly registered travel agency you should have no problem in using what is the simplest way:
a credit card.
I know of at least one person that made her reservations through someone, a name in the internet, was it a travel agency ? It was not, at a certain point several local flights changed , different schedules, cancelations and she was left with a person to whom she had trusted but it was not a travel agency. Her trip turned into a nightmare.
To me the choice is clear, but I am amazed that that person , had not checked before.As it happens it is easy to check because all travel agencies are registered in Argentina in the Official Ministry that handles travel, and they have a number to prove it. In doubt you can check by the internet if the number is correct. Sorry I forgot the name of the Office where to check but I guess I can find it if some one wants to check.

Following my posting:
To check a Travel Agency in Argentina you can go to www.turismo.gov.ar
There is an option for English,however the list of Travel Agencies is only in Spanish. So choose Spanish, then in the upper right side choose"Agencias de Viajes" and then choose "Consultas sobre Agencias de Viajes Autorizadas" finally choose "Agencias por legajo especifico", put in the number that should have been provided to you upon asking and the information should come up.
Each agency has a number.

drdawggy:

San Juan was a very pleasant stop for us. We were a week in the province starting and ending from the city of San Juan. Mercedes, our agent had us booked into Vinas del Sol. I recall that it was a 3 star rated hotel but should have been 4+. The restaurant was very good.

We had a very pleasant and caring english speaking guide for that week. Marcello working for Money Tours. He cared for us as if we were dear old grandparents. I would highly recommend him.

Marcello took us on a drive around the province where we visited many interestoing places.

One of the first stops we made on leaving San juan [town] was to the village Difunta Correa, a town noted for a woman who died of thirst while walking along a lonely road with her infant child. The legend says that the child suckled on the dead woman for a week or so and was then rescued. There is a large shrine dedicated to this woman and that was fantastic with the various offerings placed in nmerous cottages, all part of the site. Not to be missed.

We stopped at a finca, La Media Luna. The staff there put on a feast for us with a great variety. The drive in and out was very scenic and unspoiled.

Along our travel we visited Ischigualasto Provincial Park and Valley of the Moon, a Unesco site. Ancient dinasour site.

Talampaya Park in La Rioja Province was like visiting the moon. Here a park guide took over the local tour. Well worth while. We drove along a canyon base with walls 150 m high. Petroglyphs from around 2000 years ago were prominant. While the guide was explaining the petroglyphs we spotted a Condor and I was fortunate to be able to get a pretty good picture of it.

As we drove through this area we passed over many dips in the road where gravel and sand had collected. Marcello explained that these were Badenes. The gravel/sand deposits were the result of glacial melt and the resultant torrent of water when it did come.

One stop along our route was near Barreal where we stayed at Posada la Querencia. This is a B&B at the foot of the Andes. The evening we arrived [one night only] a storm was gathering and the view of the Andes with the heavy dark clouds and bright sun showing through in places made an awsome picture.

Marcello phoned his office to get accurate weather [rain] information to be sure that we woud be safe on our next day's travel.

From here we went to Pampa el Leoncito. this is a packed silt bed at 2000 m elevation. Winds develope in early afternoon and people come from quite far to race on "wind cars" which are small one person sail vehicles with three wheels. International races are held here.

From here we went to Celso Observatory at 2500 m and had a very interesting tour. The narative was only in Spanish but the observatory guide was very accommodating to my wife who asked my questions for me. My wife grew up in Buenos Aires so I had my own pesonal interpreter.

Being a north american, I am more comfortable with having dinner at around 1800 thather than 2300 and our departure for Buenos Aires was such that I would miss dinner altogether. Our hotel was kind enough to prepare a sandwich [ordered in advance] that I could eat at 1800 when in their dining room which had not yet opened.

After too may jamon y qeso sandwiches, I wanted an egg sandwich with anchovy for a change. Well, I got my egg and anchovy along with some strange looks [the gringo who wanted to eat dead fish!] but I was very happy and the hotel was very accommodating.

Of course, the touring that we enjoyed might not be what other people like but I would say that this one week with Marcello and Money Tours rated with the best we have ever had on all our travels.

Before San Juan we were in Mendoza where Ricardo of Baco Tours was our guide. He was the worst and we found Baco to be dishonest so I guess that Marcello had the advantage, comming after Baco.

Mendoza is very popular for wine but as we are not wine drinkers so we are probably prejudiced for that reason as well. We were 9interested in the wine process and the tours.

We did have a great day taking the "High Country" tour into the Andes to the Cristo Redentor and the Inca Bridge. This day tour was run by Huentata Tours, our driver was Dario and the guide Laura. I would strongly recommend Huentata and Laura if you can get her. As a matter of fact, if Huentata were to do full touring, they would be very much better than Baco Tours.

I hope you get to San Juan and enjoy it as much as we did.

Woodie