Finding an experienced travel agent for first cruise...........

I have been researching 2 weeks and still unsure which ship to choose for our Alaska cruise in May/June 2019. I've never used a travel agent. How do I know Ive found a good one? One who has actually cruised a lot?

Do you have any friends who have cruised? Could they recommend someone to you?

An on-line community of people who cruise would be the ideal place to ask - but we are not allowed to name TAs here unfortunately!

Start with a local travel agent that specializes in cruises. I like to talk to travel agent face to face. If you book and then unsatisfied you can transfer your booking to a different agent.

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I read the rules; I am not asking for a name. I'm asking if there is a way to search for really experienced TA companies. When I did an internet search for TA's there were so many that I was lost how to go about vetting the inexperienced ones out. Sorry if I got anyone in trouble.

I guess someone didn't get the memo, or read the Community Guidelines...we are not allowed to name or discuss travel agents!

Nope I guess I didn’t sorry! Just trying to help never mind!

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OP: start by using the CC search feature. There are a zillion past threads on how to find a "cruise specialist" travel agent (I've authored a few of them myself).

Also, for example, scan the occasional "cruise special" travel section of major metro newspapers to identify the most often quoted TAs or peruse the "best of...." lists occasionally published by Condé Nast Traveler. If your college alumni association does travel, see who they use.

Ask folks onboard who they use. If you often hear the same name, that person may be worth an exploratory call.

Nonetheless- search CC for the past threads.

Find one that is a "Cruise Specialist" that will help. Before you go in, you need to establish what your budget might be.

1. Do you want a drinks package -- drinks are expensive on ships and if you drink a lot it might work out better for you.
   
2. How elegant do you want to be? Dressing up a priority? Do you want assigned dining times and be sat at the same table every night with the same people assigned to the table. Do you want flexibility in dining so you don't need to rush back to the ship from sightseeing to dress for dinner?
   
3. Do you want a ship with a lot of bells and whistles? Will it be a port intensive cruise? How much time will you actually be spending on the ship to make use of the slides/climbing walls/go karts etc?
   
4. You can save money by booking a "guarantee" cabin but that will not let choose a specific stateroom. An inside cabin will be the cheapest but won't have any window.
   
5. Make sure you check out the Alaska board here on Cruise Critic -- there are some cruises that will not do Tracy Arm or some other spectacular glacier. Also consider a Back to Back instead of a one way to/from Vancouver.
   
6. Get passports if you don't already have them.
   

Here's a Cruise Critic article that might be helpful:

Finding a Cruise Travel Agent

Thank you so much!!! All this info is so helpful. I have been on CC for a week using any time I have free searching all the forums. This site is invaluable indeed.

Find one that is a "Cruise Specialist" that will help. Before you go in, you need to establish what your budget might be.

 

1. Do you want a drinks package -- drinks are expensive on ships and if you drink a lot it might work out better for you.
   
2. How elegant do you want to be? Dressing up a priority? Do you want assigned dining times and be sat at the same table every night with the same people assigned to the table. Do you want flexibility in dining so you don't need to rush back to the ship from sightseeing to dress for dinner?
   
3. Do you want a ship with a lot of bells and whistles? Will it be a port intensive cruise? How much time will you actually be spending on the ship to make use of the slides/climbing walls/go karts etc?
   
4. You can save money by booking a "guarantee" cabin but that will not let choose a specific stateroom. An inside cabin will be the cheapest but won't have any window.
   
5. Make sure you check out the Alaska board here on Cruise Critic -- there are some cruises that will not do Tracy Arm or some other spectacular glacier. Also consider a Back to Back instead of a one way to/from Vancouver.
   
6. Get passports if you don't already have them.
   

_____________________________________________

1. We dont drink much but its something to consider. We will each have a drink in the evening.

2. No dressing up. My sister is fine with whatever there is to

eat (within reason). I see us in the MDR most nights.

3. Would like a couple of shows but wall climbing, etc. A nice warm pool/jacuzzi would be nice.

4-What is your take on having a balcony room? Is it necessary?

I would rather be outside, front of ship seeing all the

magnificent wonders. Is that even possible on the larger

ships?

5. Still learning what a back-to-back cruise is. If you dont go North to South or South to North, what other way is there?

PS-The glaciers are one the most important in my search.

6. Working on my passport as we speak.

 

Your response here was awesome. Helped to at least address some pretty important things. One of those things is whether the ship, in our eyes, will just be the vessel of transport or whether the glitz/glam of the ship plays any importance. Now Im left wondering whether I should budget perhaps a little more and go for a smaller outfit like UnCruise or one of those. Wow, so many options.

_____________________________________________

1. We dont drink much but its something to consider. We will each have a drink in the evening.

2. No dressing up. My sister is fine with whatever there is to

eat (within reason). I see us in the MDR most nights.

3. Would like a couple of shows but wall climbing, etc. A nice warm pool/jacuzzi would be nice.

4-What is your take on having a balcony room? Is it necessary?Personally we enjoy having a balcony, as we oft sit and just watch the ocean sail by.

I would rather be outside, front of ship seeing all the

magnificent wonders. Is that even possible on the larger

ships?

On many of the ships with fwd facing cabins, they are frequently suites. Also lower deck fwd facing cabins may have issues in rough weather. Even with a balcony, when enjoying the scenery we normally head to the outer decks for a better all round view.

5. Still learning what a back-to-back cruise is. If you dont go North to South or South to North, what other way is there?

B2B is 2 consecutive cruises. From Vancouver, we frequently did Vancouver to Whittier and then Whittier to Vancouver. Total days were 14 and it saved us flying.

PS-The glaciers are one the most important in my search.

Then Glacier Bay and/or Hubbard Glacier are must see.

6. Working on my passport as we speak.

 

Your response here was awesome. Helped to at least address some pretty important things. One of those things is whether the ship, in our eyes, will just be the vessel of transport or whether the glitz/glam of the ship plays any importance. Now Im left wondering whether I should budget perhaps a little more and go for a smaller outfit like UnCruise or one of those.

If the smaller ship/premium alternatives are of interest, I suggest also checking out Viking Ocean & Oceania. The base fare is higher than the mainstream lines, but many items are comp. Viking provides a comp tour in each port.

Wow, so many options.

 

 

See responses in red.

Tulsanurse

as to your question about cabin..... I have sailed in insides, ocean view, solo and balcony cabins. I like insides, nice and dark and easy to fall asleep. Ocean view was nice to have light in the cabin (having said that I ususally cruise with a night owl who will sleep til about noon before getting up). The balcony was nice BUT I have never done an Alaska cruise. Balcony might be nice, but there will be things to see on BOTH sides of the ship so being on an open deck might be a better and if you forego the balcony you'll save some money.

I know a few ships that have an Observation Lounge at the front of the ship, where there are large windows to see out of if the weather becomes inclement. Since I really only know the NCL ships the SUN and BLISS will have this. I think there are Princess ships and Holland American Lines might have them as well.

If you want to travel in style sailing in a suite might be up your alley, more personalized cruising with lots of perks.

 

I know a few ships that have an Observation Lounge at the front of the ship, where there are large windows to see out of if the weather becomes inclement. Since I really only know the NCL ships the SUN and BLISS will have this. I think there are Princess ships and Holland American Lines might have them as well.

 

 

 

All Holland America ships have "observation lounges" (called Crow's Nest on Holland America) up front. HAL also has some open deck areas, and they frequently open the bow for "scenic (low speed) cruising". Otherwise the outside front portions of the ship can be very windy, and not attractive to be on.

sp

 

All Holland America ships have "observation lounges" (called Crow's Nest on Holland America) up front. ...

We are not big fans of local travel agents/agencies. The reality is that its a very low paying profession and a majority of travel agents have not done extensive cruising or even traveling. Local agents are sometimes part of larger consortiums..who pressure them to push specific cruises that generate higher commissions/overrides. The most experienced agents we have found, work for the high volume cruise agencies who you can contact via the internet or phone. We use several high volume reputable agencies (we use whoever offers us the best deal on the cruise we choose) and our favorite agents will handle more cruise bookings in a single day then most local agents handle in a year. Our favorite cruise agent of all time finally retired from handling bookings so she could spend more time cruising (she now spends over 6 months a year on ships).

That being said, there are some excellent local agents but most are in larger cities where they they do a high volume business. One thing you can do is ask a prospective agent if they have any accreditations from the Cruise Line International Association. This group has multiple training programs for professional agents including the somewhat coveted Master Cruise Counselor (MCC) designation. While this does not guarantee they are a great agent it does mean that they have experience and have taken the time to work themselves through an extensive training program.

Hank

We are not big fans of local travel agents/agencies. The reality is that its a very low paying profession and a majority of travel agents have not done extensive cruising or even traveling. Local agents are sometimes part of larger consortiums..who pressure them to push specific cruises that generate higher commissions/overrides. The most experienced agents we have found, work for the high volume cruise agencies who you can contact via the internet or phone. We use several high volume reputable agencies (we use whoever offers us the best deal on the cruise we choose) and our favorite agents will handle more cruise bookings in a single day then most local agents handle in a year. Our favorite cruise agent of all time finally retired from handling bookings so she could spend more time cruising (she now spends over 6 months a year on ships).

 

That being said, there are some excellent local agents but most are in larger cities where they they do a high volume business. One thing you can do is ask a prospective agent if they have any accreditations from the Cruise Line International Association. This group has multiple training programs for professional agents including the somewhat coveted Master Cruise Counselor (MCC) designation. While this does not guarantee they are a great agent it does mean that they have experience and have taken the time to work themselves through an extensive training program.

 

Hank

There are small agents in small localities, not high volume high pressure, who love to cruise themselves and love to help others enjoy the experience. Don't discount a small local agent :) Of course, with phones and internet, it's not really a big deal, in my opinion, if they are local or not. As long as you like their service. And if you try one and don't like it, move on to another for your next trip :)

Here's my two cents, for what it's worth:

I do not recommend using one unless you already know someone who is good at it. Call the cruise lines directly.

My story is really long and frustrating, so if you're interested in my experiences, read on. In a nutshell, it's easier dealing with the cruise line directly because it seems to be the same in cost and they are nice people to talk to or just book online.

~~~~

Over the last year I have been researching to death all over the Internet (here and on YouTube mostly), so I figured I needed to go talk to a TA and get their opinion on the matter. They're the experts; I'm a complete newbie; and they could guide me. It's their job, right? In my local area, visiting each one has been comical to say the least. I just wanted to talk and get a good feel for them as an agent. Here's some insight into my story:

I should start off by saying I was still very new to the idea of taking a cruise, and I wasn't sure if there was one particular cruise that I should consider, being that it was my first time and all, nor was I sure what price point I was looking at, nor which destination I wanted to cruise in. I wanted to talk about it all and hopefully get a better sense of where I needed to be so I can book one I really like with that agent, if that person was any good.

Still interested? Read on.

The first place I went to was fine. The TA answered my questions, and I explained to her that I wasn't sure I wanted to be on a party cruise or one that was much older in age range, like Holland America. And she stopped me in my tracks and said there are some younger people who do like Holland America. Yes, but I'm not sure it would be a good fit for a first timer. She told me to consider Celebrity, and that was that.

The next agent you could tell was ready to leave for the weekend, given that it was a Friday afternoon. She was pushing for me to consider the luxury lines, like Regent Seven Seas or Crystal. At one point I had told her I was possibly interested in a cruise to Hawaii from the West Coast, out of LA or San Diego, but she stopped me and kept on telling me only Norwegian did Hawaii. (If you didn't know this already, many cruise lines do Hawaii. NCL Pride of America is the only ship that is there year round, and it is the only ship stationed in Honolulu.) One of the brochures this agent gave me was gold-plated looking, so definitely out of my price range! Next.

The third TA I went to was a really nice woman. She hadn't been working there long, but she did listen and was informative. After we got to talking, I asked her if she had taken any cruises yet, and she had not. Her sister has, though. Given some of the talks here on CC, I was hesitant to book with an agent with no experience. This is my first time cruising, and she didn't have the experience herself. This company also sells outdoor grills. Weird.

A few months have passed, and I am more serious shopper now.

Still interested? Keep reading. I warned you this was really long.

One place I decided to try had "Cruises" in its name, so they'd be good, right? Well, that is when the door is unlocked! I walked up, and the door was locked. One agent saw me and invited me in, but it was a rather cold experience. She answered my questions. At one point I said to her not to get any brochures, I just wanted to talk. She got two anyways. I specifically asked about Carnival Cruiseline. Many of our friends have gone on them and really liked it. The TA said they don't do Carnival. Ok. She priced out a cruise for me out of my homeport and didn't bother to explain the price layout. After all was said and done, she excused herself to continue writing her email. I could have waited you know!

This next to last place I tried, the TA WAS WONDERFUL. She actually listened to what I had to say and relieved all of my concerns. She kept saying for a first time consider Celebrity, Norwegian, or Royal Caribbean. If you don't have kids, I wouldn't do Disney, not as a first cruise. She also went on to say that her company had certain perks if booking with them, like a free dinner with RCL.

I was convinced to use the last TA. However, when we met the next time, she didn't say anything at all about the free perks her company had for being a XXXX member. She kept pointing out the perks NCL was offering at the time, and the cost looked to be the same as on the NCL website. The only difference was we had to pay $$ to use her!

We finally did book our first cruise (NCL Getaway) with another agent my mom decided on, since my grandmother is paying, and she is great too!

I couldn't be any happier that we finally just threw our hands up and booked the cruise we wanted. We sail out in 17 days, and I will be a newbie no more. :)

---

The story slightly continues if you'd like to continue reading. You've made it this far, so why not?

In the last few months I made the mistake to post a message on a TA's vlog on YouTube. He has thousands of subscribers, and he really seems good and nice in all of his videos. Unfortunately, I made the mistake to ask him if I could email him. His email was posted in the description of his video, so I thought he'd just say ok.

In the post I made the mistake of trying to compliment him and then venting some of my frustrations before I asked for permission to email him. I guess I was hoping to let others see that finding a good agent can be frustrating, and I wanted to give somewhat of a back story to why I was writing the guy.

Well, he did write back 2 months later. His response was very rude and quite shocking to be honest.

If you're still reading this, I'd like your thoughts on the matter. It's been bothering me all day, and I highly question if this is the norm or if he's just being a jerk.

As a first timer, I was only asking these different agents for very basic information and some of their insight into picking a good fit for me as to the various cruise lines and destinations. I was just trying to get a sense of who they were and yes, book with them if I liked them.

He goes on to reply:

"You sound pretty indecisive. A travel agent probably would not say it to you, but indecisive people are a nightmare to work with in any field. On top of making free videos you also want the guy to reply to emails for someone who will more than likely not even become a client? Basically you want the guy to work for free."

I nicely replied back that those were not my intentions and went on to compliment the guy further. And yes, I told him I was interested in emailing him to be his client and to find that first cruise for me and my husband.

Does that sound right to any one? Was I being "indecisive" by asking some basic questions in my search to find a good TA? I can understand that I might have come across that way, but I think of someone who is "indecisive" as someone who can't choose between NCL Getaway, Celebrity Edge, or XYZ. I was just hoping for some general answers to some basic questions a first timer would have. I felt lost and thought he could guide me to a booking with him! Or he could have at least pointed me to some of his other videos, but this?

I'm scratching my head as to what other TAs think about us first timers. Are we really a NIGHTMARE to work with?

Here's my two cents, for what it's worth:

I do not recommend using one unless you already know someone who is good at it. Call the cruise lines directly.

 

 

My story is really long and frustrating, so if you're interested in my experiences, read on. In a nutshell, it's easier dealing with the cruise line directly because it seems to be the same in cost and they are nice people to talk to or just book online.

~~~~

 

 

Over the last year I have been researching to death all over the Internet (here and on YouTube mostly), so I figured I needed to go talk to a TA and get their opinion on the matter. They're the experts; I'm a complete newbie; and they could guide me. It's their job, right? In my local area, visiting each one has been comical to say the least. I just wanted to talk and get a good feel for them as an agent. Here's some insight into my story:

 

 

I should start off by saying I was still very new to the idea of taking a cruise, and I wasn't sure if there was one particular cruise that I should consider, being that it was my first time and all, nor was I sure what price point I was looking at, nor which destination I wanted to cruise in. I wanted to talk about it all and hopefully get a better sense of where I needed to be so I can book one I really like with that agent, if that person was any good.

 

 

Still interested? Read on.

 

 

The first place I went to was fine. The TA answered my questions, and I explained to her that I wasn't sure I wanted to be on a party cruise or one that was much older in age range, like Holland America. And she stopped me in my tracks and said there are some younger people who do like Holland America. Yes, but I'm not sure it would be a good fit for a first timer. She told me to consider Celebrity, and that was that.

 

 

The next agent you could tell was ready to leave for the weekend, given that it was a Friday afternoon. She was pushing for me to consider the luxury lines, like Regent Seven Seas or Crystal. At one point I had told her I was possibly interested in a cruise to Hawaii from the West Coast, out of LA or San Diego, but she stopped me and kept on telling me only Norwegian did Hawaii. (If you didn't know this already, many cruise lines do Hawaii. NCL Pride of America is the only ship that is there year round, and it is the only ship stationed in Honolulu.) One of the brochures this agent gave me was gold-plated looking, so definitely out of my price range! Next.

 

 

The third TA I went to was a really nice woman. She hadn't been working there long, but she did listen and was informative. After we got to talking, I asked her if she had taken any cruises yet, and she had not. Her sister has, though. Given some of the talks here on CC, I was hesitant to book with an agent with no experience. This is my first time cruising, and she didn't have the experience herself. This company also sells outdoor grills. Weird.

 

 

A few months have passed, and I am more serious shopper now.

Still interested? Keep reading. I warned you this was really long.

 

 

One place I decided to try had "Cruises" in its name, so they'd be good, right? Well, that is when the door is unlocked! I walked up, and the door was locked. One agent saw me and invited me in, but it was a rather cold experience. She answered my questions. At one point I said to her not to get any brochures, I just wanted to talk. She got two anyways. I specifically asked about Carnival Cruiseline. Many of our friends have gone on them and really liked it. The TA said they don't do Carnival. Ok. She priced out a cruise for me out of my homeport and didn't bother to explain the price layout. After all was said and done, she excused herself to continue writing her email. I could have waited you know!

 

 

 

This next to last place I tried, the TA WAS WONDERFUL. She actually listened to what I had to say and relieved all of my concerns. She kept saying for a first time consider Celebrity, Norwegian, or Royal Caribbean. If you don't have kids, I wouldn't do Disney, not as a first cruise. She also went on to say that her company had certain perks if booking with them, like a free dinner with RCL.

 

 

I was convinced to use the last TA. However, when we met the next time, she didn't say anything at all about the free perks her company had for being a XXXX member. She kept pointing out the perks NCL was offering at the time, and the cost looked to be the same as on the NCL website. The only difference was we had to pay $$ to use her!

 

 

We finally did book our first cruise (NCL Getaway) with another agent my mom decided on, since my grandmother is paying, and she is great too!

 

 

I couldn't be any happier that we finally just threw our hands up and booked the cruise we wanted. We sail out in 17 days, and I will be a newbie no more. :)

 

 

---

The story slightly continues if you'd like to continue reading. You've made it this far, so why not?

 

 

In the last few months I made the mistake to post a message on a TA's vlog on YouTube. He has thousands of subscribers, and he really seems good and nice in all of his videos. Unfortunately, I made the mistake to ask him if I could email him. His email was posted in the description of his video, so I thought he'd just say ok.

 

 

In the post I made the mistake of trying to compliment him and then venting some of my frustrations before I asked for permission to email him. I guess I was hoping to let others see that finding a good agent can be frustrating, and I wanted to give somewhat of a back story to why I was writing the guy.

 

 

Well, he did write back 2 months later. His response was very rude and quite shocking to be honest.

If you're still reading this, I'd like your thoughts on the matter. It's been bothering me all day, and I highly question if this is the norm or if he's just being a jerk.

 

 

As a first timer, I was only asking these different agents for very basic information and some of their insight into picking a good fit for me as to the various cruise lines and destinations. I was just trying to get a sense of who they were and yes, book with them if I liked them.

 

 

He goes on to reply:

 

 

"You sound pretty indecisive. A travel agent probably would not say it to you, but indecisive people are a nightmare to work with in any field. On top of making free videos you also want the guy to reply to emails for someone who will more than likely not even become a client? Basically you want the guy to work for free."

 

 

I nicely replied back that those were not my intentions and went on to compliment the guy further. And yes, I told him I was interested in emailing him to be his client and to find that first cruise for me and my husband.

 

 

Does that sound right to any one? Was I being "indecisive" by asking some basic questions in my search to find a good TA? I can understand that I might have come across that way, but I think of someone who is "indecisive" as someone who can't choose between NCL Getaway, Celebrity Edge, or XYZ. I was just hoping for some general answers to some basic questions a first timer would have. I felt lost and thought he could guide me to a booking with him! Or he could have at least pointed me to some of his other videos, but this?

 

 

I'm scratching my head as to what other TAs think about us first timers. Are we really a NIGHTMARE to work with?

Sorry to hear about your bad experience. Nonetheless, it's a bit perplexing to hear that you think you did a lot of "research" (e.g., CC, which doesn't permit TA recommendations) and YouTube(?) Then you chose only to connect with less than a handful of "local" shops.

Next time, try some targeted research. Look at those TAs often quoted about cruising in major metro newspapers' travel sections; look at the "best of..." lists of trusted travel resources like Condé Nast Traveler; check with your college alumni association regarding what TA handles any cruise travel they offer to members. Even talk to cruising family/friends (but take these recommendations with a "grain of salt." Once on a cruise, ask (and ask again) fellow passengers about who they use.

If you do this work, you'll eventually have a short list of "top sellers" for your preferred cruise line(s). And, yes, many of the best cruise specialist TAs steer clear of Carnival - just not enough commission to make anything other than a large group worth their while.

As for the added value of a good TA?

You are a "rounding error" in any cruise line's "bottom line." That top selling TA may book millions($) annually with that cruise line. Who do you think will get a problem solved more efficaciously?

Then there's commission sharing (beyond whatever perks the cruise line may offer). On longer cruises with upscale lines, this can mean thousand(s) of dollars in your pocket.

The list of pluses goes on.....

In any case, you may not want to give up just yet on finding a good TA.

Flatbush, perhaps in your situation you should book directly with a cruise line. Yes, you will ultimately pay 7-10% more for your trip (because you booked direct with a cruise line) but in your case it might be money well spent. You obviously are looking for a lot of TA advice and what some call "hand holding." The big high volume cruise agencies can do that, by they are all about volume. So while you might want to keep an agent on the phone for an hour...people like me do not even keep them on the phone for a minute. In fact we book most of our cruises online and only call the agent if we have a specific issue (which is usually resolved in less then a minute). Agents and agencies work on commissions and time is money for those folks.

So I think that for those that want an extraordinary amount of hand holding and advice, booking direct might be good. Just keep in mind that the person you deal with at the cruise line may have never set foot on a ship :). But they have carefully written "scripts" they can access on their computers...so they usually have a well written response to most basic questions. One big issue with booking direct (this is in addition to the money you lose) is that you need to know which cruise line! Cruise Agencies generally deal with nearly all the cruise lines and a decent agent will know the pros/cons of each line/ship. But if you call RCI about booking a cruise they are only going to talk about RCI.

We actually booked a HAL cruise (last year) while onboard a cruise using the Future Cruise Expert (they work on the ship) who happened to be an old friend :). A few days after we booked (direct with the cruise line) we transferred the booking to one of our favored cruise agencies who had agreed to give us $1050 in On Board Credit (this is like cash) not offered by the cruise line. So in some ways this was the best of both worlds...although we generally prefer to just book with a cruise agency since its less of a hassle.

Hank

Thanks for the insight! I actually never new about those other resources. My sister has gone on a cruise, but she just found one she liked and booked online. The other people I know who have cruised, I don't think they used an agent either. I guess I was trying the "old-fashioned" way and walked in to my local places off the street... there's not much left around here.

I am using a good agent for this first cruise now, and what I mean by that is someone who listens and works with you, giving you what you want and making it easier, especially for this first time.

I'm not going to be a first timer in 3 weeks, so I'll definitely have more insight into what to expect for next time.

Thanks for your quick reply!

Sorry to hear about your bad experience. Nonetheless, it's a bit perplexing to hear that you think you did a lot of "research" (e.g., CC, which doesn't permit TA recommendations) and YouTube(?) Then you chose only to connect with less than a handful of "local" shops.

 

Next time, try some targeted research. Look at those TAs often quoted about cruising in major metro newspapers' travel sections; look at the "best of..." lists of trusted travel resources like Condé Nast Traveler; check with your college alumni association regarding what TA handles any cruise travel they offer to members. Even talk to cruising family/friends (but take these recommendations with a "grain of salt." Once on a cruise, ask (and ask again) fellow passengers about who they use.

 

If you do this work, you'll eventually have a short list of "top sellers" for your preferred cruise line(s). And, yes, many of the best cruise specialist TAs steer clear of Carnival - just not enough commission to make anything other than a large group worth their while.

 

As for the added value of a good TA?

 

You are a "rounding error" in any cruise line's "bottom line." That top selling TA may book millions($) annually with that cruise line. Who do you think will get a problem solved more efficaciously?

 

Then there's commission sharing (beyond whatever perks the cruise line may offer). On longer cruises with upscale lines, this can mean thousand(s) of dollars in your pocket.

 

The list of pluses goes on.....

 

In any case, you may not want to give up just yet on finding a good TA.

Flatbush, perhaps in your situation you should book directly with a cruise line. Yes, you will ultimately pay 7-10% more for your trip (because you booked direct with a cruise line) but in your case it might be money well spent. You obviously are looking for a lot of TA advice and what some call "hand holding." The big high volume cruise agencies can do that, by they are all about volume. So while you might want to keep an agent on the phone for an hour...people like me do not even keep them on the phone for a minute. In fact we book most of our cruises online and only call the agent if we have a specific issue (which is usually resolved in less then a minute). Agents and agencies work on commissions and time is money for those folks.

 

So I think that for those that want an extraordinary amount of hand holding and advice, booking direct might be good. Just keep in mind that the person you deal with at the cruise line may have never set foot on a ship :). But they have carefully written "scripts" they can access on their computers...so they usually have a well written response to most basic questions. One big issue with booking direct (this is in addition to the money you lose) is that you need to know which cruise line! Cruise Agencies generally deal with nearly all the cruise lines and a decent agent will know the pros/cons of each line/ship. But if you call RCI about booking a cruise they are only going to talk about RCI.

 

We actually booked a HAL cruise (last year) while onboard a cruise using the Future Cruise Expert (they work on the ship) who happened to be an old friend :). A few days after we booked (direct with the cruise line) we transferred the booking to one of our favored cruise agencies who had agreed to give us $1050 in On Board Credit (this is like cash) not offered by the cruise line. So in some ways this was the best of both worlds...although we generally prefer to just book with a cruise agency since its less of a hassle.

 

Hank

Huh?

Perhaps you miss my point. OP (and you and I and everyone else) needs a high volume "top selling" TA for the desired cruise line for two reasons (you too always cite as important): higher commission, which translates to providing credits/rebates/refundable OBC (ergo, less cost to you) and problem solving when a significant issue happens. My preferred TAs have the regional sales director for my preferred line as a "speed dial" on their cell phone.

Personally, I seldom contact a TA other than to comparison shop the transfer of a book-onboard (as you mentioned you recently did) or to authorize my credit card final payment. And I'm always on the look out verifying that my "stable" of regular TAs are the best on all counts)

No hand-holding necessary. Rather, the real research helps newbies to eliminate the bad ones.

After a poor experience with my original TA, I decided to try another who was recommended by friends (out of state). After the first introductory email, she wanted to know what I was looking for (type/location of cabin, general itinerary, length of cruise, budget). She quickly had a cruise lined up with an ideal cabin.

The quoted price was the same as was on the line's site, but she also kept an eye on refares.

On that cruise she saved me over $1000. On my next cruise she has ensured that the line gives me 1000 OBC (I would have been able to do either of these myself, but I would have had to pay attention daily to the pricing changes, which I do not care to do).

Upon completion of the cruise, she followed up to ensure that everything met my expectations and how to make it better next time.

I could probably find another TA that would give me a free dinner, but why change when I currently have one that cares about my experiences?

(And yes, they do have cruise experience).

To each their own, but I hope no one assumes that a small local TA does not have access to the big volume discounts. Nowadays, small TAs are usually independent contractors affiliated with LARGE companies that qualify for the volume discounts. Many will have the same discounts, and will often have extra perks they can throw in. When shopping for a TA ask if they are affiliated with a larger agency or consortium. More often than not, the answer will be yes. With a small local TA so affiliated, one can get the attention one wants, with the discounts. They are not mutually exclusive :)

To each their own, but I hope no one assumes that a small local TA does not have access to the big volume discounts. Nowadays, small TAs are usually independent contractors affiliated with LARGE companies that qualify for the volume discounts. Many will have the same discounts, and will often have extra perks they can throw in. When shopping for a TA ask if they are affiliated with a larger agency or consortium. More often than not, the answer will be yes. With a small local TA so affiliated, one can get the attention one wants, with the discounts. They are not mutually exclusive :)

Add to this the reality that some of the TA consortia have preferred partnerships with particular cruise lines -occasionally resulting in perks like complimentary gratuities.

Our first cruise we found the itinerary we wanted, Sydney to Honolulu, I called the cruise line and booked it. It was simple.

Some people need and want travel agents, some don't.