Booking Direct vs. Travel Agent

[laedw]

Well, it has been a week since the unscrupulous TA switched my reservation from direct booking with RCCL to his travel agency. I had to fax a release letter to several RCCL fax numbers(don't know why) and get the TA to fax a release letter. Though TA faxed a release form it is taking RCCL a while to process. I know it will get done but this is time consuming and more annoying than anything else. Oh well!

[onlyonetrevorfrancis]

Please use a travel agent. You get SERVICE.,that cannot be matched by a computer .

 

 

We don't have this perk giveaway this side of the pond but from someone outside looking in it seems this could be the problem.

 

People are expecting fantastic service from the TA when in reality they (the customer) are being paid in perks the majority of the poor old TA's commission for providing the service in the first place.

 

Seems to me the biggest winner here is RCI as the customer is then spending the TA provided OBC on its ships.

 

The more I think about this I do feel a bit of sympathy for the TA's..... especially with this auction site to find the TA who will work for the least amount by giving away the most freebies.

 

Perhaps my sympathy is misplaced as they receive bonuses for hitting a number of sales on a particular ship but it seems a real tough gig to me having to pay your customers to use you.

[internetwhiz]

Well, it has been a week since the unscrupulous TA switched my reservation from direct booking with RCCL to his travel agency. I had to fax a release letter to several RCCL fax numbers(don't know why) and get the TA to fax a release letter. Though TA faxed a release form it is taking RCCL a while to process. I know it will get done but this is time consuming and more annoying than anything else. Oh well!

 

I would be letting RC know what this TA did. In my opinion, they shouldn't be allowed to be a TA performing this type of shenanigans

[Giorgi-one]

I always use a travel site to get the benefits. Always get at leasat prepaid gratuities and dinner for two. I would NEVER book online. I use the same agent each time and book over the phone. After the cruise is booked I am told who to contact for any questions or changes. I always get a response within a few hours. They guarantee to get you all price drops but, obviously, you have to follow the price. My guess is that this agency has hundreds, if not thousands, of cruises booked at any given time. Any sane person would not expect them to check every cruise every day for price drops. Obviously some people on this thread have a "control" issue. If you are willing to pay $300 or more to be able to change your cruise on your own, go for it!

[Desert Cruizers]

I booked our upcoming Australia trip directly with RCCL because it was a Sat and told them I wished to transfer to our travel agent. Our TA received the form from RCCL and faxed it back, we didn't do a thing. She was watching out for me about 3 months back, regarding my Coastal cruise leaving Sept 22nd. She was notified by Princess, not me that they had moved me from my Mid ship cabin to way forward. She told them to ASAP move me back immediately and what they called an upgrade, was no upgrade. I just happened to go into my bookings less then 30 minutes after her phone call to Princess and saw the room change and called her and learned of what had happened. 5 minutes later I was back in my original room.

[MarilynTX]

I've only used a TA once and I didn't see any advantage. He called me every 3 months and drove me crazy.

 

I like to review my reservations online and you can't if you use a TA. On my upcoming cruise I found 2 sales. One was a balcony upgrade and the other was reduced booking and a $200 OBC per cabin. I did everything myself.

[EMBFlyer]

If you switch your booking to a Travel Agent, is the Pre-Cruise Planner still available online (such as booking speciality dining, shore excursions, alcohol/soda packages, etc), as well as online check-in?

[h20cruzer]

I have used a TA for probably the last 15 years. However, and this is not the TA's fault, but the cruise line drops the fares and of course if after final payment. From this point forward I am not going to book in advance, This cruise I paid about 2800.00 for now, I could get it for 1220.00 for a veranda cabin. They wont let me down grade, cant upgrade nothing available so stuck where I am. I admit some of the perks from the TA have been nice. If do you book with the cruise line you only have 60 days to transfer to the TA, not sure why that is????

On my last cruise to Alaska, I had booked an inside accessible cabin,now the price went way down and I could upgrade to an outside cabin, however when the TA checked on Monday of course the price had gone back up. She told me to put a courtesy hold on the cabin and then she could go back to the cruise line. Next weekend same thing happened so I put the courtesy hold on and was able to get the outside cabin. Bad part the outside was still less than what I paid for the inside, no refund though, I was happy to get the outside cabin.

Norma

[Guest maddycat]

If you switch your booking to a Travel Agent, is the Pre-Cruise Planner still available online (such as booking speciality dining, shore excursions, alcohol/soda packages, etc), as well as online check-in?

 

Yes

[Guest maddycat]

Hello All,

 

This will be my first post on CC, but I have been a long time follower of the message boards. I have been debating the topic of this thread for a while, and as a first time cruiser I have decided to go the route of getting a travel agent. While I have been looking at local travel agents (in Toronto), they have unfortunately not given me the best deals. I have also frequented the RCI website and have not found the prices/perks I want. However, I have come across a travel agency in Vancouver, BC (quite a distance away from me, so I'm a bit hesitant). But this TA has offered us some great rates! About $200 p/p cheaper than what I've seen on the RCI site and with the other local TAs in Toronto.

 

I know that with the Internet and online bookings, we may not be directly dealing with someone within our local area, but I'm concerned that this deal might be too good to be true. A lot of you that go through TAs have mentioned that you go through a local TA. Have any of you gone through an out of town or even out-of-state/province TA? Should I be hesitant to go through with this booking? Any advice would be grateful!! Thanks CC!

 

As OP said search for reviews of the TA. Also make sure that they do not charge for any changes to your booking (cabin change, price drop, cancellation).

[internetwhiz]

If you switch your booking to a Travel Agent, is the Pre-Cruise Planner still available online (such as booking speciality dining, shore excursions, alcohol/soda packages, etc), as well as online check-in?

 

Yes, it is. We have specialty and a cabana booked at Labadee, and our reservation is through a TA...We booked our Pre-cruise stuff at RC just like everyone else, and we will print our Setsail as well, and our electronic travel booklet/paper baggage tags.

[internetwhiz]

As OP said search for reviews of the TA. Also make sure that they do not charge for any changes to your booking (cabin change, price drop, cancellation).

 

Ours says they charge $50 for a cancellation, but we had to and then booked another one, and they waived it...