Need to make quick decision- transfer existing booking to an agent?

[Jessie2013]

A few weeks ago, I booked 2 D1 category cabins for the Freedom of the Seas on December 14, 2014. The rate that was being offered at the time plus $125 per cabin crown & anchor certificate. Now, I have a travel agent that is offering the rooms for $440 less *plus* a $150 OBC per cabin.

 

I've never booked through a travel agent before. Is there a risk to transferring my booking to them? She said they would honor price drops up until final payment. I'm feeling a bit of 'seems to good to be true' and a bit afraid to transfer.

[Merion_Mom]

A few weeks ago, I booked 2 D1 category cabins for the Freedom of the Seas on December 14, 2014. The rate that was being offered at the time plus $125 per cabin crown & anchor certificate. Now, I have a travel agent that is offering the rooms for $440 less *plus* a $150 OBC per cabin.

 

I've never booked through a travel agent before. Is there a risk to transferring my booking to them? She said they would honor price drops up until final payment. I'm feeling a bit of 'seems to good to be true' and a bit afraid to transfer.

 

You need to know things about each agent:

 

Are there change fees?

 

Are there cancellation fees?

 

Will they honor price drops?

 

Will price drops affect the amount of their OBC?

 

ASK Travel Agent #2 how they can offer a lower price. (they are likely to say that the cabins are in a group. Sometimes - not often - that can have other effects)

 

Agent #1 is going to have to agree to the transfer. Most won't.

[Jessie2013]

You need to know things about each agent:

 

Are there change fees?

 

Are there cancellation fees?

 

Will they honor price drops?

 

Will price drops affect the amount of their OBC?

 

ASK Travel Agent #2 how they can offer a lower price. (they are likely to say that the cabins are in a group. Sometimes - not often - that can have other effects)

 

Agent #1 is going to have to agree to the transfer. Most won't.

 

Thank you. I did get the answers to most of those- except I didn't ask if price drops effect OBC. Good question, I will ask. There isn't an agent #1, I had booked directly with RCCL.

 

And they did say they are group discounts.

[Merion_Mom]

Thank you. I did get the answers to most of those- except I didn't ask if price drops effect OBC. Good question, I will ask. There isn't an agent #1, I had booked directly with RCCL.

 

And they did say they are group discounts.

 

Then you will also give up your ability to talk directly to Royal Caribbean about your reservation or make any changes. EVERYTHING will have to go through the travel agent. You WILL be able to: make dining reservations online, make specialty reservations online, make excursion reservations online, and make entertainment reservations online.

 

Anything else will have to go through the TA, including price drops.

[Merion_Mom]

Oh, one more thing.

 

RC just made a whole lot of (icky) changes in some of its policies.

 

Check to be sure that you can keep that C&A coupon with the group booking of the TA.

[Jessie2013]

Do most cc members stay away from ta's so they can communicate directly with the cruise line?

[cruisinfanatic]

A few weeks ago, I booked 2 D1 category cabins for the Freedom of the Seas on December 14, 2014. The rate that was being offered at the time plus $125 per cabin crown & anchor certificate. Now, I have a travel agent that is offering the rooms for $440 less *plus* a $150 OBC per cabin.

 

I've never booked through a travel agent before. Is there a risk to transferring my booking to them? She said they would honor price drops up until final payment. I'm feeling a bit of 'seems to good to be true' and a bit afraid to transfer.

$440 less than what is now on RCL's site? TA's cannot discount.

Something is not being compare right.

[Jessie2013]

$440 less than what is now on RCL's site? TA's cannot discount.

Something is not being compare right.

 

I haven't checked today, but $440 ($220 each cabin) less than what I booked it for on oct 31.

[molly361]

It is $969 for a D1 FOS 12/14/14 today. I thought TA's can discount if it is a group??

[Merion_Mom]

It is $969 for a D1 FOS 12/14/14 today. I thought TA's can discount if it is a group??

 

Exactly. Travel agencies can get blocks of cabins for a lower price than RC is now charging.

[Merion_Mom]

Do most cc members stay away from ta's so they can communicate directly with the cruise line?

 

If you check out other threads on this topic, you will find that people have strong views on both sides.

 

Some absolutely want control of their bookings.

 

Others are passionate about all of the perks that they get from their travel agents.

 

Some talk about the benefit of having a GOOD travel agent when things go wrong.

 

Some talk about being burnt by bad agents.

 

There, I just saved you 10 hours of reading. :D

[Merion_Mom]

A few weeks ago, I booked 2 D1 category cabins for the Freedom of the Seas on December 14, 2014. The rate that was being offered at the time plus $125 per cabin crown & anchor certificate. Now, I have a travel agent that is offering the rooms for $440 less *plus* a $150 OBC per cabin.

 

I've never booked through a travel agent before. Is there a risk to transferring my booking to them? She said they would honor price drops up until final payment. I'm feeling a bit of 'seems to good to be true' and a bit afraid to transfer.

 

 

Is that travel agent really giving you a price of $859 per person?

Edited November 11, 2013 by Merion_Mom

[Merion_Mom]

Stateroom Stateroom Total $2,724.91 USD

Guest 1 Guest 2 Guest 3

Cruise Fare: $969.00 $969.00 $499.00

Taxes/Fees: $95.97 $95.97 $95.97

Per Person Total: $1,064.97 $1,064.97 $594.97

 

 

Currently available directly from RC.

[Jessie2013]

Stateroom Stateroom Total $2,724.91 USD

Guest 1 Guest 2 Guest 3

Cruise Fare: $969.00 $969.00 $499.00

Taxes/Fees: $95.97 $95.97 $95.97

Per Person Total: $1,064.97 $1,064.97 $594.97

 

 

Currently available directly from RC.

 

When I booked a few weeks ago, the D1 cabin for 3 was $2599.58 and the cabin for 2 was $2004.72. That includes the $125 savings cert for C&A (take out the $125 credit & my prices is almost the same as what is quoted above).

 

The quote from the agent today is $4414.30, less the $125 per cabin C&A certificate, bringing it to $4164.30. Plus $150 OBC per cabin. So, $4,164.30 total (compared to $4604.30), *plus* $300 in obc.

 

Thanks for the info on directly vs. travel agent. I didn't realize it was a hot topic. I did ask about the OBC being effected by price drops & she said (in an email, so I have that for future documentation if needed) that it doesn't effect it.

[Merion_Mom]

Sounds like a great deal. Did you check on change fees and cancellation fees?

[cruisinfanatic]

Exactly. Travel agencies can get blocks of cabins for a lower price than RC is now charging.

They may book cabins at a lower rate, but not lower than the public could get booking at the same time. The lowest a cat D1 has been is $909. than add another $100 per cabin as their group booking incentive. That would get the can to about $859 plus tax

[capsfloyd]

We belong and use a Travel Club in Texas , they save us some on each trip

I have to call them to ck on the rates . When we book we are lock in and I call back once a month to see if it goes down. Price never goes up but will go down

 

On the Febuarey 16 , 2014 will be on the cc magic ,We waited till last week to make our last payment. The cruise went down 200 a piece

 

Nothing any different than booking straight through with the cruise line , that I can tell

Make sure it's a good TA

Good luck

[Merion_Mom]

They may book cabins at a lower rate, but not lower than the public could get booking at the same time. The lowest a cat D1 has been is $909. than add another $100 per cabin as their group booking incentive. That would get the can to about $859 plus tax

 

Yes they can.

[cruisinfanatic]

Yes they can.

No clue why you think TA's get all the extra leeway to give extra discounts.

They can block (reserve) cabins as soon as they come available. If the price goes up in the future they can still sell the cabins at the reserved price regardless of what the cabin costs in the future plus 10% or so OBC. On top of that they may choose or not to give each cabin more OBC from a group incentive. Not much left to give

[Merion_Mom]

No clue why you think TA's get all the extra leeway to give extra discounts.

They can block (reserve) cabins as soon as they come available. If the price goes up in the future they can still sell the cabins at the reserved price regardless of what the cabin costs in the future plus 10% or so OBC. On top of that they may choose or not to give each cabin more OBC from a group incentive. Not much left to give

 

I just responded to you specifically: Yes, they can reserve and sell cabins at a lower price in a group block.

[maureencruiser]

Are they guarantee cabins? You are booking two, is it important to be near each other, if they are guarantees?

[Jessie2013]

Are they guarantee cabins? You are booking two, is it important to be near each other, if they are guarantees?

 

They are not guarantees. I had picked out my specific cabins when I made my reservation through RCCL & the reservation will be transferred, which will keep those cabins as my own.

 

There are also no change/cancellation fees until after final payment, which are the ones imposed by the cruiseline directly. I'm emailing her now to make the change :) $740 in combined discounts & OBC is worth it to me!

[Little Buddy's Mom]

 

I've never booked through a travel agent before. Is there a risk to transferring my booking to them? She said they would honor price drops up until final payment. I'm feeling a bit of 'seems to good to be true' and a bit afraid to transfer.

 

Since you have never used a travel agent before, how did you find this one? Was she recommended to you?

 

If, you just found her on the internet, you may want to do further research before transferring your booking.

 

Check with the BBB and search for complaints on the web. Hopefully, any major complaints will show up.

[Jessie2013]

Since you have never used a travel agent before' date=' how did you find this one? Was she recommended to you?

 

If, you just found her on the internet, you may want to do further research before transferring your booking.

 

Check with the BBB and search for complaints on the web. Hopefully, any major complaints will show up.[/quote']

 

I don't know how much I'm allowed to say here. But I used a site that allows ta's to "bid" on your cruise and there were 2 out of 4 that had the lowest price.

[travelplus]

I agree Travel Agents can save you money. They book blocks of cabins so if the crusieline upped their price the Travel Agent would have a locked in Group Price.

 

A lot of times Travel Agents can book you on a Guarantee Rate and give you the Group Discount as well as give you Onboard Credit.

 

I know lots of people like to deal directly with Royal Caribbean but a good Travel Agent can be just as good or better than Royal if Royal is backlogged with calls its better for the agent to be kept on hold than yourself.

 

If a cabin is not what you expected it you can work with your travel agent etc.

 

As for airfares Travel Agents can work with you to purchase separate hotels, airfares and car rentals and some may even have discounts on shore excursions and other incentives like prepaid gratuities. Even if you may pay a bit more for using a Travel Agent the prepaid gratuities and OBC are great.

 

Just be careful the agent you are working with is reputable and they are certified to sell cruises. Also call up Royal right away after paying your deposit and getting your confirmation#. I always do this earlier rather than wait until the last minute to be sure Royal has my money. Then after Final Payment I will call Royal Again to be sure it has been posted.

 

I do all of my Shore Excursions, airfares and hotels on my own as I can usually get better rates than the Travel Agent.

 

What I have found is buying Travel Insurance not from the Travel Agency or Cruise Company but to Compare various plans yourself and compare the rate you are getting from Royal and the Travel Agent.

 

Hope these tips help you.