Better to book directly with Silversea or via agent?

I'm planning to book the Aug 25 Venice to Athens cruise on the Spirit. This will be only my third time cruising (so many questions!), and in the past I booked directly with the cruise line. It seems, though, that agencies sometimes offer better deals than Silversea (larger onboard credit, e.g.). Not sure if this is to be trusted, or if the deals really are better with an agency. If so, I've heard there are specific agencies/consortiums that work with Silversea a lot, and can offer the best deals, but don't know how to find them. Spaces are running out on this cruise (Silversea already has said there are no port-side cabins on deck 6, for example), so I know I need to do something soon. Any help would be much appreciated!

p.s. I would also love to hear about any particular Veranda 4 category cabins that are particularly good (or bad) on deck 6. My first cruise on HAL was in a loud, squeaky cabin and I'm not eager to repeat that experience (the second, on Seabourn, was perfect).

Welcome to cruise critic and the Silversea boards Taylorcl. We strongly recommend booking with a Travel Agent. Please see this thread (from post #27 on)

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2420580&page=2

Outstanding TA's belong to one of the major travel consortium's (virtuoso, signature, vacation.com) and generally provide a generous SBC ($250-$750 depending on the Silversea cruise booked. Moreover, most likely you will get cash back (discount from this TA's from 5-10%.

We have sailed on the Spirit near a 100 days since the maiden crossing and for a Veranda 4, you can't go wrong with any suite from 644-657. We like V4's closest to

mid ship (e.g. 657,656). Would not book suites 638-645 since they are directly above the 5th deck/bar-- dance floor and you will hear evening dance music in your suite.

So I am also booked for the same cruise and a relative newbie since my one and only cruise on Silversea is from 2008. I am on Deck 6 as well in a triple cabin.

The only warning I saw was to avoid cabin 640-648 over the bar area. This may no longer be relevant as insulation was added shortly after it was built.

Also, I learned it is inappropriate to ask about agents on this board.

I'm planning to book the Aug 25 Venice to Athens cruise on the Spirit. This will be only my third time cruising (so many questions!), and in the past I booked directly with the cruise line. It seems, though, that agencies sometimes offer better deals than Silversea (larger onboard credit, e.g.). Not sure if this is to be trusted, or if the deals really are better with an agency. If so, I've heard there are specific agencies/consortiums that work with Silversea a lot, and can offer the best deals, but don't know how to find them. Spaces are running out on this cruise (Silversea already has said there are no port-side cabins on deck 6, for example), so I know I need to do something soon. Any help would be much appreciated!

Welcome to these Cruise Boards!! Don't be shy. Keep asking good questions. There are lots of smart and helpful people on these boards.

Below are some links for Venice, Kotor, Athens, etc., with many visuals and details to consider as you plan your visits in these great, historic and interesting areas.

TRAVEL AGENTS??: On these Cruise Critic boards over time, many questions will come up on travel agent, their need/value, the future for that profession, etc. Unfortunately, we cannot name or suggest here any specific agent. BUT, just wanted to offer a shout-out for the value and worth of really good travel agents. Clearly some are just "order-takers". Not much value-added by that process or type of agent. That makes it easier to just do it yourself via the Internet and/or phones. We have worked with ours since 2006 and she is so important because of her vast travel experiences around the world, being honest, blunt and candid for options being considered, etc. In 2014 for our Australia-NZ adventure, she had been there 25+ times and had many keen insights. Personally, I like to do lots of reading and research myself. I do not do everything that she suggests, but it is all part of the "total information picture" in planning and preparing. That is the best of all world . . . an excellent agent AND an involved, interested customer. In most cases, if you book it yourself and/or through a cruise line staffer, you are going to be paying the same amount for the cruise. Why not, if possible to have a smart and savvy travel agent, enjoy those extra benefits and gain so much more insights about where you are visiting, designation options, etc. Finally, when or if you have a "problem" and challenge during the pre-cruise period, it is good to have a strong advocate to push and argue on your behalf. Of course, getting an excellent travel agent is not always that easy. There are some secrets that I can suggest, later, if it is of interest.

Yes, some travel agents will give back more or a lesser amount as cabin credit. Maybe that is significant. Maybe not as much. For us, especially in going to more unique areas of the world, the good agent's super skills and tips there make a very important, valuable difference.

Tell us more on your reactions to this info on your TA question. Plus, any other questions, etc.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

If Venice is one of your future desires or past favorites, look at this earlier posting for many options and visual samples this city that is so great for "walking around", personally seeing its great history and architecture. This posting is now at 64,783 views.

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

Wonderful Kotor and nearby Montenegro? Check these postings. Have had over 33,630 views on this posting and appreciate those who have tuned-in and commented.:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439193

For Athens and nearby, look at this earlier posting for many options and visual samples from this city that is so great for seeing its great history, style and architecture. This posting is now at 15,830 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

Thanks for the very helpful replies everyone. In particular, I appreciate all the good advice and tips (I did not know that providing the names of specific TAs is a no-no, for example). I have to admit, however, that I am really at a loss about who to pick after seeing the overwhelming number of agents out there. I started looking at the agencies that are members of the largest, most reputable and powerful travel consortiums, and there are hundreds (and hundreds). Impossible to know where to begin and the work week approaches!

Anyway, Silversea (no agent) is offering business air for $499 each leg, which seems like an impossibly good deal. I haven't seen the itinerary for the flights, but heard that the carriers are Delta, KLM, and Lufthansa. If anyone has ever taken this deal, I'd be curious to find out how it worked out. Perhaps the itineraries are difficult (departing from the West Coast on the red eye, then flying all day across the Atlantic and arriving at 6 or 7 pm in Europe, facing a sleepless night-?).

Hopefully I haven't broken any more Cruise Critic rules, but I was encouraged to write back after your prompt, Terry in Ohio!

DEFINITELY book your cruises with a travel agent! Yes, you may receive various credits and goodies, but their professional value goes way beyond that. Matching you with the ideal cruise line or stateroom category.. handling specialized pre-cruise requests.. arranging custom tours or car service.. or as Terry mentioned, acting as your tireless advocate if something goes wrong. Most passengers sail along without a problem, and many of us are perfectly capable of selecting our own itineraries and suites, but an individual passenger has little recourse if something goes truly wrong -- I had this happen once (not on Silversea) and our agent worked a miracle.

To locate the agent that's right for you, you can certainly ask around, but also check out the cruise line websites, which often supply lists of agencies they do a lot of work with. These days, with email and overnight delivery, you don't have to limit yourself to a local agency.

I suggest calling several agents and ask to make an appointment to discuss your needs. (And it's best to do this by phone, not email, so you can really gauge their interest and listen to each other.) Be prepared to discuss your budget.. past travels, cruises, hotels.. what you liked.. what you didn't like.. what you're looking for in ambience, food, activities, comfort, whatever is important to you. The agent will probably want a little time to pull some ideas together. Then see who you felt most comfortable talking to, and who really "gets" what you're looking for.

I realize you're already on the verge of booking, but you can still use this information to target an agent that's right for you. Like any professional -- lawyer, doctor, real estate agent -- a good travel agent will ease your way in ways you might not anticipate.

Good luck!

DEFINITELY book your cruises with a travel agent! Matching you with the ideal cruise line or stateroom category.. handling specialized pre-cruise requests.. arranging custom tours or car service.. or as Terry mentioned, acting as your tireless advocate if something goes wrong. An individual passenger has little recourse if something goes truly wrong -- I had this happen once (not on Silversea) and our agent worked a miracle. I suggest calling several agents and ask to make an appointment to discuss your needs. (And it's best to do this by phone, not email, so you can really gauge their interest and listen to each other.) Be prepared to discuss your budget.. past travels, cruises, hotels.. what you liked.. what you didn't like.. what you're looking for in ambience, food, activities, comfort, whatever is important to you. You can still use this information to target an agent that's right for you. Like any professional -- lawyer, doctor, real estate agent -- a good travel agent will ease your way in ways you might not anticipate.

taylorcl: Thanks for the very helpful replies everyone. Silversea (no agent) is offering business air for $499 each leg' date=' which [b']seems like an impossibly good deal[/b]. I was encouraged to write back after your prompt, Terry in Ohio!

Appreciate these excellent points and suggestions from the smart NYC poster. Agree that talking/sharing by phone can be a good way to interview/test and see how well a potential travel agents listens and understands your personal interests, needs. For taylorcl, don't be distracted by a Silversea representative on their payroll offering some airfare bargains, etc. In most all cases, those "sales incentives" are detailed on their website and apply to all potential customers, whether you are going through the SS staff or using your own travel agent.

Here are a few of my tips, suggestions, successes:

1. I started out looking at a long list of a couple hundred top-rated travel agents from a National Geographic publication. I looked for a couple of people with more international experiences and focus, including for doing Australia and New Zealand. I reached out and got a good response from one of the persons contacted. We talked more, she was very helpful, was very accessible and responsive, etc., etc.

2. Don't assume that the TA has to live in your town or immediately nearby. Phones work well to give quick connections. E-mail can keep communications going, even if the TA or you are traveling internationally, etc.

3. It's your key choice as to whether you just want an "order-taker" who has not traveled much, nor experienced personally many of these key locations in the world. OR, if you desire "value-added" by someone who can give you honest, detailed, on-location background insights and proper warnings on what to seek or avoid.

4. It is possible to make an initial booking with a SS agent on the ship or by phone. BUT, then you have about a month or two to have that preliminary reservation moved to be handled by YOUR agent.

5. You're the customer!! Make clear what you want and need. They cannot read your mind. Articulate upfront what you seek, can afford, rate highest, etc.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 167,426 views for this posting.

It's very clear that lots of members have found and used a TA to take care of their itineraries and make their recommendations through personal experiences which is great and not in question. However don't assume all travel agents are equal. On my last cruise we used a TA and annoyed that further discounts offered by the cruise line were not being passed on. On the one I have coming up, we not only negotiated a good deal, but after paying in full , we were able to obtain through promotions a two cat upgrade and $1000 on board spend without quibble. People on the rollcall who booked through a TA were told they weren't entitled to it.

It's a shame the boards don't allow info to be passed on TA. I'm not against using one, but the two examples above is why I'd always book direct. (Until I'm confident I've found a TA that will be acting on my behalf!)

I saved about $800 using my new TA, so I'm very happy. We'll see how everything turns out. Thanks again for all the great suggestions!

It's very clear that lots of members have found and used a TA to take care of their itineraries and make their recommendations through personal experiences which is great and not in question. However don't assume all travel agents are equal. On my last cruise we used a TA and annoyed that further discounts offered by the cruise line were not being passed on. On the one I have coming up, we not only negotiated a good deal, but after paying in full , we were able to obtain through promotions a two cat upgrade and $1000 on board spend without quibble. People on the rollcall who booked through a TA were told they weren't entitled to it.

 

It's a shame the boards don't allow info to be passed on TA. I'm not against using one, but the two examples above is why I'd always book direct. (Until I'm confident I've found a TA that will be acting on my behalf!)

I haven't had much luck in finding a TA willing to give me any Ship Board Credit or discount at all. The last TA I used promised a small rebate and never came through. So, now I book direct with the cruise line, and usually get some SBC. So, I'm perplexed by what I'm reading on this thread. Last year, I phoned around again to various TA's in my area, and nobody was willing to give me more than $50 in credit or rebate (even though I had done all the work already, and all they needed to do was take over the booking).

An advantage of booking direct is that you can phone or email your cruise consultant to ask questions. It's more efficient than having to track down your TA, telling them your questions, and waiting for them to get back to you after they contact the cruise line. Why should I bother going through this, if the TA isn't even giving me any incentive for dealing with them.

We are not permitted to share our TA's on this forum but trust me there are TA's out there who give rebates and other perks. I usually do all the research anyway and then have my TA book my cruise.

Is it important? What about service? Why should they give me a piece of their commission?

I highly recommend booking through a TA.

Yes, all TA's are not created equal. Same is true of any profession.

Ask people you know for a recommendation.

Interview them. Actually talk with three or four of them and ask questions.

Ideally find someone familiar with the product and someone you feel comfortable working with.

Yes TA's can provide amenities that the cruise line won't provide. That's a big positive.

But a good TA can save you money by making sure you avoid mistakes.

And a good TA can be your advocate to not only cutting through red tape (if they understand the cruise line such in this case as Silversea) but should something go wrong they can push for a resolution that you might not be able to get if you are just dealing with them yourselves.

Keith

One suggestion. During the cruise ask around who your fellow passengers would recommend. It took us two cruises to find a good TA this way.

One suggestion. During the cruise ask around who your fellow passengers would recommend. It took us two cruises to find a good TA this way.

Now that is a great idea!

I'm in the same boat (pun not intended) as we are about to book on the Muse for May. I would really rather slit my wrists and drink my own blood than use a TA. We have never had a good experience with one and simply don't "need" one. We are both proficient with a computer and at doing trip research, we have sources we trust for opinions and information and we can and have done everything from buy luxury vehicles to rent luxury prooerties over the Internet. And I would never in a million years think of booking any component of our many land vacations with a TA. We can do it all ourselves with such ease. BUT the cruiselines are so tied to travel agents that it seems impossible to get as good of a deal booking direct as you can with just about any old TA. My question is, the cash back the TA is offering is probably coming from their profit of commission in booking the cruise for me. So if I book directly, SS should be able to give me a better deal since we would be cutting out the middle man. Better deal for me and more profit for SS. And then if I have a question or issue arrise, I can deal directly with the service provider, the cruise line, without having to get a game of telephone going with the middle man in the way. The gentleman I spoke with at SS told me he would give me OBC, but I didn't ask how much. I came here to find out what others have experienced. Has anyone booked directly and gotten great OBC or even a lower cruise fare?

Using a good TA pays dividends besides rebates (10%+, SBC) they go to bat (representing scale to SS) for you when there is a problem on board. When we had a problem with a Silversea Hotel Direct on a cruise last year, our TA made some phone calls and within hours this HD called my wife to apologize. Silversea later (after our TA's work post cruise) gave us a large future cruise credit for the poor on board experience. A good TA not only provides service before the cruise, the TA continues to provide service during your cruise, and service post cruise.

When the booking rules were different (3+ yrs ago) we first booked direct then had SS transfer to our TA on record, why? Absolutely, no way Silversea can match the rebate, SBC and service we get with our TA.

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Absolutely, no way Silversea can match the rebate, SBC and service we get with our TA.

 

 

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But how is it that a TA can sell a SS product cheaper than SS?

Absolutely, no way Silversea can match the rebate, SBC and service we get with our TA.

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But how is it that a TA can sell a SS product cheaper than SS?

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But how is it that a TA can sell a SS product cheaper than SS?

Technically they don't sell it cheaper. What they do, or at least can do, is rebate a portion of their commission back to you. Using simple math let's say the published cruise fare is $10,000 after non-commissionalbe fees and taxes are taken out and the commission is 12%. The agency/agent would get $1,200 and out of that $1,200 they might give a $1,000 cash rebate or on board credit or some combination of cash and on board credit. The cruise line still gets their $8,800 no matter what the agency/agent does with the commission. Of course the best world for the cruise line is for a passenger to book directly with them and pay them the $10,000. Sure they pay their inhouse cruise consultants but no where close to what they pay an external TA in commission.

Needless to say we deal with an agency/agent that gives us a 10-12% cash discount and often even throws in an on board credit from time to time. We had used an inhouse Silversea cruise consultant for a couple of our first cruises and she was super but couldn't offer discounts or rebates. Still would highly recommend her but for us getting the rebate is a "business" decision and not personal.

Is it important? What about service? Why should they give me a piece of their commission?

Really depends on the level of service. I can't speak for others but when we contact our TA we've done all our research. We've picked our specific cruise and know what cabin category and deck we want. We often even provide cabin numbers in order of preference. We have our own flights, pre and post cruise hotels, and transfers booked or at least planned depending on how far out we're booking. We're planners by nature and profession and right now we'd have it no other way. So yes, if a TA is willing to discount the cruise and we're asking for virtually no other support or assistance than the booking then I see no issue using them.

Normally I would agree with some of these comments but what about the circumstance when you know the person at Silversea personally, for many years? And you know if there any issues they will take care of you.........

Just booked my first cruise on SILVERSEAS :D

Normally I would agree with some of these comments but what about the circumstance when you know the person at Silversea personally, for many years? And you know if there any issues they will take care of you.........

 

Just booked my first cruise on SILVERSEAS :D

That's really a personal decision. Most of us deal with Silversea at great distance so having a true personal friend with the cruise line is not the norm. As for potential issues that might arise......that's hard to judge and put value on. We've never had an issue or problem arise that I can think of in 22 years of cruising, at least not one that was a major issue that wasn't easily addressed but we all have our own set of concerns and risk aversion. Enjoy your first Silversea cruise! 👍😀