Travel Agent VS Celebrity

[ACoupleAtSea]

We are looking to book our first Celebrity Cruise January of 2015. We normally don't book this far out, but we would like to take advantage of the free 3rd person plus perk your perk. Our travel agent is offering the same benefits that our Celebrity Rep is. Who should we book with and why??

[Beanb41]

We are looking to book our first Celebrity Cruise January of 2015. We normally don't book this far out, but we would like to take advantage of the free 3rd person plus perk your perk. Our travel agent is offering the same benefits that our Celebrity Rep is. Who should we book with and why??

 

The issue I have with using a travel agent is that should you have a query and want to speak with Celebrity about it they refer you back to the TA to raise the issue. Unfortunately one then doesn't know if your issue has been raised correctly with the company and have to take the TA's word on the outcome.

I had an issue about price reductions for a cruise next year that we had booked and our agent said Celebrity said no and that is final. If I cancelled the cruise I would have been charged a cancellation fee by the TA.

 

Using a TA means giving away certain rights as the TA is the owner of the booking not you. If you book direct with TA you own the booking. In hindsight I think I may have chosen the wrong TA

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Have you tried getting Celebrity on the phone lately? People are reporting waits of a minimum of half an hour. Sometimes they never get through. Use a good TA and let him/her deal with Celebrity.

[TLCOhio]

We are looking to book our first Celebrity Cruise January of 2015. We normally don't book this far out, but we would like to take advantage of the free 3rd person plus perk your perk. Our travel agent is offering the same benefits that our Celebrity Rep is. Who should we book with and why??

 

Appreciate your good, interesting question. BUT, to best answer and respond, there are a couple of needs for added information from you.

 

1. Where are you planning to cruise? Some locations in the world are more unique and specialized where a good travel agent can be much more helpful with such port planning needs. Other locations are more average or routine for such needs about short options and potentials.

 

2. What type of travel agent do you have and/or need/desire. Not all travel agents are of equal skill and experiences. Some travel agent are just "bookers" who do that basic and cannot offer much more. That's OK. Some agent are more skilled and experienced from having been on a number of different ships, going to many varied locations around the world, etc.

 

As noted in the live/blog below, we just got off of the Solstice last month in doing Australia and New Zealand. Our very skilled travel agent has been to that part of the world 25+ times. WOW!! Great experience and skills in being able to offer much more than just booking a cruise. Check out these postings for more info/background on this nice ship, its entertainment, food options, what we did in this part of the world, etc.

 

Reactions? Tell us more on exactly what you need. In many cases, a very good travel agent does not cost any extra, but returns many, many added benefits through such practical knowledge.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Just back from doing a 14-day Celebrity Solstice, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure on this ship and 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 much more information and lots of wonderful pictures on these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 45,935 views for this fun posting.

[ACoupleAtSea]

Terry,

 

We are looking to goto the Caribbean in Jan on the Reflection. We don't plan on getting off the boat because we have been to the Caribbean so many times. This cruise is basically for us to see what Celebrity is about and whether we are gonna make the jump from Princess.

[LeftcoastBC]

Terry,

 

We are looking to goto the Caribbean in Jan on the Reflection. We don't plan on getting off the boat because we have been to the Caribbean so many times. This cruise is basically for us to see what Celebrity is about and whether we are gonna make the jump from Princess.

 

Go with either one under those parameters for sure. Actually which ever one has the best deal going or can offer most OBC.

[happy 2 b cruising]

We are looking to book our first Celebrity Cruise January of 2015. We normally don't book this far out, but we would like to take advantage of the free 3rd person plus perk your perk. Our travel agent is offering the same benefits that our Celebrity Rep is. Who should we book with and why??

 

The reasons to book with the Travel Agent is for complicated travel arrangements and additional perks above what Celebrity is offering. Some Travel Agents are great if you need your hand held. The only problem with leaving your reservation with Celebrity is the crazy amount of hold time to get your questions answered.

[TLCOhio]

The reasons to book with the Travel Agent is for complicated travel arrangements and additional perks above what Celebrity is offering. Some Travel Agents are great if you need your hand held. The only problem with leaving your reservation with Celebrity is the crazy amount of hold time to get your questions answered.

 

ACoupleAtSea: Terry' date=' We are looking to goto the Caribbean in Jan on the Reflection. [b']We don't plan on getting off the boat[/b] because we have been to the Caribbean so many times. This cruise is basically for us to see what Celebrity is about and whether we are gonna make the jump from Princess.

 

Appreciate the added info from the original poster. Sound like your "needs" are more limited and narrow. Great comments and super insights from our West Palm, Fla., friend. The other plus with a GOOD (not average) travel agent is that IF some major problems come up. If your agent is a part of a larger group or consortium of agents, they can have more "clout" than just a small-time agent to get somebody's attention to solve issues that could come up. Those kind of issues probably won't happen, but if in a jam, having a louder, strong voice could help.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 137,875 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[ACoupleAtSea]

They are both offerring the same exact benefits, so I guess its just a matter of preference. We have cruised many times with Princess and have always used a TA because they could offer more OBC.

[packyourpixiedust]

Let the travel agent make the small commission. There is no real disadvantage. Ask if they charge a change fee, cancellation fee or upgrade fee. And then book it. If you are using a local agent which I would recommend- money comes to your city. There is also an employee paid by Celebrity who services that agency and the booking helps him or her too. So lots of advantages to the agencies to use them :)

 

 

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[Waihekean]

I have booked for the first time with Celebrity direct online, but will do not that again.

I prefer to actually book with on online TA, who I can either phone, look on their web site for price drops and have an immediate response when I e-mail.

 

So, far the phone number given by X did not work, after e-mailing them, eventually was given another phone number and that one is not even connected. When looking on the website for prices and trying to look at other categories for example, a message pops up that I do not need to do that, do I want to book in a guest? So, do not know their current prices.

I only have an e-mail address and a link to get into My Celebrity account.

Will have to do an early payment, so can check if it works.

[catugirl]

How do you go about choosing a TA? Do you use a local agent or an online TA? Talked to one local TA, and she wouldn't give me a good deal. Have dealt with a couple of different online TA's (three different booking agents) and have gotten good deals but less than stellar service. Most recently tried a different online TA to book a cruise, but the service was so horrible that we cancelled (and were charged a cancellation fee); we booked the same cruise with an online website we had used once before. Unfortunately, the service there has not great. We've also booked directly with the cruise line but didn't get a good deal; it did seem less complicated, though. I see on Cruise Critic so many people who are very satisfied with their TA, both in service and great deals. What's the secret?

[sunluva7]

How do you go about choosing a TA? Do you use a local agent or an online TA? Talked to one local TA, and she wouldn't give me a good deal. Have dealt with a couple of different online TA's (three different booking agents) and have gotten good deals but less than stellar service. Most recently tried a different online TA to book a cruise, but the service was so horrible that we cancelled (and were charged a cancellation fee); we booked the same cruise with an online website we had used once before. Unfortunately, the service there has not great. We've also booked directly with the cruise line but didn't get a good deal; it did seem less complicated, though. I see on Cruise Critic so many people who are very satisfied with their TA, both in service and great deals. What's the secret?

Word of mouth recommendations are the best. Ask your friends and acquaintances who they use and why. A TA is especially useful for first time cruisers with tons of questions. Imagine trying to get answers from Celebrity while holding the phone. A TA can give personal recommendations for all the extras that go with a cruise - hotels, transfers, restaurants, as well as tips and advice. It's not just about getting the cheapest cruise and the most onboard credit. It's about getting a great vacation at a fair price with great service. I'd rather have a TA that's ready and available when I need help than a bunch of onboard credit with crappy service, or a cruise line that will leaving me holding the phone. If the TA can throw in some onboard credit, even better!

[cruzsnooze]

We are looking to book our first Celebrity Cruise January of 2015. We normally don't book this far out, but we would like to take advantage of the free 3rd person plus perk your perk. Our travel agent is offering the same benefits that our Celebrity Rep is. Who should we book with and why??

 

Why have a middleman. If you want to change, add, take advantage of a new offer, you can call celebrity directly and not wait for a middleman that may not be open, not available, unwilling, too busy, or charge you a fee to do what you can accomplish easily.

The time spent on hold lately is an issue. I don't feel comfortable that a TA would put the time in to reach Celebrity for a something like a price reduction because it eats into their commission and could just shine you on saying they called but couldn't get through or couldn't honor your request. Nobody cares about my reservation more then I do.

Edited March 27, 2014 by cruzsnooze

[grandgeezer]

I do all my homework and book with an online agent who gives me tons of obc and other percs. I e-mail them when I want to change rooms or if I find a lower price and they handle it. I let them deal with the cruise line so I don't care if it takes forever to get through. Otherwise I never have the need to contact them either at night or on the weekends. They do charge a cancellation fee, but since I do my homework and the respond positively to my requests, I've never cancelled a cruise.

[fleckle]

They are both offerring the same exact benefits, so I guess its just a matter of preference.....

Then you have your answer right there.

It is definitely to your advantage to book directly with Celebrity.

 

That way you still have 60 days after you book to decide whether or not to transfer your booking to a travel agent.

 

It is a win/win solution for you as you have nothing to lose.

 

You get the stateroom of your choice at the best current price for which you are eligible, you get the perks that Celebrity is offering, and you gain the additional 60 days to compare offers from different travel agencies and then transfer your booking to whichever one offers you the best deal.

 

As you are simply booking a routine Caribbean cruise, there is nothing to be gained by giving your booking to a travel agent who does not offer you anything more than what you get from the cruise line.

 

The biggest disadvantage is that it would lock you in so you are unable to take advantage of better offers from other travel agents.

 

Another consideration is that some travel agents charge a fee for processing cancellations or changes, so if/when you decide to give the booking to any travel agent, it is important to find out all their terms up front to avoid any unwelcome surprises later.

 

If you book directly with Celebrity and later decide to make changes, or even if you later decide to cancel the cruise entirely, there is no charge to do so and you get all your money back as long as you cancel before the final payment date.

 

Edited March 27, 2014 by fleckle

[Chicago Boy]

Have you tried getting Celebrity on the phone lately? People are reporting waits of a minimum of half an hour. Sometimes they never get through. Use a good TA and let him/her deal with Celebrity.

 

 

If you have a great travel agent he / she can be worth their weight in gold. It takes way too long to get through to Celebrity these days. Not sure what is going on with them. Enjoy your cruise!

[rjg41]

Why Use a (GOOD) Travel Agent?

 

Full Disclosure: I am a retired Travel Agent

 

1) Travel Agents are knowledgeable across all cruise lines and ships. (For example do you know you never want to be near the self service laundries on Princess? Do you know that it is best not to be directly below the pool deck, over the casino and where the other potentially noisy locations are? Ask a cruise line agent how many cruises they have been on including which ships and cruise lines.

2) Travel Agents often have exclusive promotions not available to cruise line agents.

3) Travel Agents often have access to fares not available to the general public or cruise line agents.

4) When you have a problem with the cruise line remember who their agents work for. A Travel Agent works for you! Good Agencies have special Customer Relations personnel that get involved in tough situations and know who the right people are to talk to at the cruise line. I could tell you many, many stories where the cruise line said no and we got it fixed. Now realize there are limits to what a Travel Agent can accomplish.

5) Think about the leverage a Travel Agency has. Millions of dollars of business.

6) Cruise lines CAN NEVER offer you a better deal than a travel agent. They may be the same but the cruise line will NEVER better. If the cruise line deal is better, someone is making a mistake!

 

Find a good agent and stay with them.

Edited March 27, 2014 by rjg41

[ACoupleAtSea]

On a different note, if u have a good TA they can give you great benefits with other lines if u choose to try something new.

[4774Papa]

I book direct with Celebrity. Because I book far ahead, the specials from online TAs are not to be found. Booking early usually results in the best prices. Also, I control my booking and if prices do drop, can call X and take advantage of the lower prices.

[TLCOhio]

How do you go about choosing a TA? Do you use a local agent or an online TA? Talked to one local TA, and she wouldn't give me a good deal. Have dealt with a couple of different online TA's (three different booking agents) and have gotten good deals but less than stellar service. Most recently tried a different online TA to book a cruise, but the service was so horrible that we cancelled (and were charged a cancellation fee); we booked the same cruise with an online website we had used once before. Unfortunately, the service there has not great. We've also booked directly with the cruise line but didn't get a good deal; it did seem less complicated, though. I see on Cruise Critic so many people who are very satisfied with their TA, both in service and great deals. What's the secret?

 

Lots of good posts and comments here on this thread. BUT, different people have varied needs, skills and interests. That applies to both travel agents and customers. The above posters complains of poor service from some online agents. What do you most want and value . . . service/knowledge . . . versus . . . maybe a lower price? Really good and skilled agent can be a major plus. BUT, they are not going to give away their valuable time and knowledge for free. Cheap can be good, but sometimes you get what you pay for. Especially if there are any problems or challenges needing some expertise to get things fixed or sorted out in your favor.

 

All travel agents are not equal. All customers do not have the same needs and/or skill levels. One size does not fit ALL!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Just back from doing a 14-day Celebrity Solstice, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure on this ship and 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 much more information and lots of wonderful pictures on these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 46,455 views for this fun posting.

[happy 2 b cruising]

Lots of good posts and comments here on this thread. BUT, different people have varied needs, skills and interests. That applies to both travel agents and customers. The above posters complains of poor service from some online agents. What do you most want and value . . . service/knowledge . . . versus . . . maybe a lower price? Really good and skilled agent can be a major plus. BUT, they are not going to give away their valuable time and knowledge for free. Cheap can be good, but sometimes you get what you pay for. Especially if there are any problems or challenges needing some expertise to get things fixed or sorted out in your favor.

 

All travel agents are not equal. All customers do not have the same needs and/or skill levels. One size does not fit ALL!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Just back from doing a 14-day Celebrity Solstice, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure on this ship and 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 much more information and lots of wonderful pictures on these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 46,455 views for this fun posting.

 

Thank-you for summing it up :)

[seaproponent]

I have found that an on-board credit of 10-13% of the fare shown on the Celebrity site is the norm for what to expect from a discount travel agent.

[happy 2 b cruising]

I have found that an on-board credit of 10-13% of the fare shown on the Celebrity site is the norm for what to expect from a discount travel agent.

 

Is that % just from the online TA or are you combining it with the Celebrity given perk as well? My top OBC experience would be 10% if you combine the perks. Are you getting this % on Transatlantic also?

[4774Papa]

Is that % just from the online TA or are you combining it with the Celebrity given perk as well? My top OBC experience would be 10% if you combine the perks. Are you getting this % on Transatlantic also?

I book early, sometimes two years before, or as soon as a cruise is announced and always check a few of the online TAs. I rarely find anything more than about a $50 OBC over and above what the cruise line is offering directly.

 

Having dined with many cruisers these past few years, fellow cruisers tell me that the big online TAs come out with specials, many at the last minute (some not so last minute) and that is when the savings can be more significant.

 

Still, I have read a lot of posts on cc of cruisers that could not get in touch with their TA in time to take advantage of a price drop.

 

I will say that a couple of times at tables where we were dining, the subject came up about how much we paid for our cabins (all having verandas) and fortunately, we always had the lowest price.