Travel agent or on your own?

[damiross]

This is my first cruise and I'm doing it myself. I've always booked my travel without an agent.

 

I did try an agent for my cruise. The agent was not good. She couldn't find the cruise I wanted, even though it was in the Princess brochure. The agent even called Princess and evidently asked the wrong questions because she still couldn't find the cruise. The agent tried to sell me a LA-Vancouver cruise, which I did NOT want.

 

When I got home I looked at the Princess site again. The cruise was there. I called Princess and the Princes CSR said the cruise was available, with only a few family suites sold out.

 

I've also overheard an agent (not at the travel agency above) complain about customers coming in at the end of the day. She would try to push them out of the office as soon as possible. Sorry - she's in a service business. A customer coming into the office a minute before closing deserves service as good as on who gets there way before closing. Naturally, I'm not even thinking of using this agent.

 

That said, I have checked online travel agencies. So far I haven't found any discounts or on board credit that would make me use the agency rather than the cruise line directly.

 

The couple of times I've called Princess I've received great service. By booking directly I am also able to get a full refund of my deposit 75 days or more before the cruise in case something happens and I have to cancel my trip. A travel agent will charge you.

Edited June 18, 2014 by damiross
add additional info

[rdsqrl]

Not all travel agents charge cancellation or change fees. Mine doesn't. One who complains about customers in front of other potential customers probably does, though!

 

On your cruise, ask others for names of their TAs, especially if they talk about having gotten a good deal. You might find a gem. I've never laid eyes on mine, much less walked into her office one minute before closing. But, she's cheerfully taken my calls and emails well outside normal business hours (or if she isn't cheerful about it, she hides it well, so that's all that matters!). More importantly, she's saved me nearly 20% every time I cruise.

 

I'm very much a control freak, but as far as I'm concerned, once I've picked my cabin, confirmed late seating, and settled on a price, there's not much else to be in "control" of. Some people make out like if they don't watch their booking every second, it'll vanish off the face of the earth, the entire Princess line will cease to exist, the Rockies will crumble, Gibraltar will tumble, etc. (I. Gershwin, 1938).

[PrincessLuver]

Please quote your source because I think it's the other way around. The number of travel agents keep dwindling because people book their own travel. People research travel on the numerous web sites and compare trips and airfare and book themselves . Some online TA's give better perks then a brick and mortar storefront TA can afford to give.

I usually book myself so that i can keep control of my booking. If I see a better cabin or a better deal or something pop up like an offer for OBC on the Princess site I can call Princess. If you use a TA you cannot call Princess , they tell you to call your TA. If it's after hours or a week end and you can't reach your TA you could miss out on something you want to accomplish.

 

I agree....we travel a lot and I like control of all bookings....we get free air and hotel and I always monitor cruise line prices and get great deals. I do not need some TA in PA pretending they are helping me. Plus, most cruse lines do not even let TA's discount anymore.

 

The travel game in not that hard to figure out to maximize all the perks that can be available to a smart traveler. :)

[cruizinpooh]

Perhaps I should have started a new thread but I figured I'd start here since the we are talking TA's.

 

I'm pretty new to Princess (only 2 in the past), so I am not familiar with their rules.

 

We booked a Transatlantic with them directly and are looking to shop around for a travel agent. My question is does Princess have a time frame in which you can no longer transfer your booking to a TA?

 

I am familiar with another cruise line that you can only transfer your booking within the first 60 days of having booked it.

 

Anyone with experience on this?

[msmoger]

Perhaps I should have started a new thread but I figured I'd start here since the we are talking TA's.

 

I'm pretty new to Princess (only 2 in the past), so I am not familiar with their rules.

 

We booked a Transatlantic with them directly and are looking to shop around for a travel agent. My question is does Princess have a time frame in which you can no longer transfer your booking to a TA?

 

I am familiar with another cruise line that you can only transfer your booking within the first 60 days of having booked it.

 

Anyone with experience on this?

 

I'm sure someone with a more specific answer will chime in, but I believe you can transfer the reservation up to at least final payment (usually 75 days before sailing).

[Pam in CA]

I'm sure someone with a more specific answer will chime in, but I believe you can transfer the reservation up to at least final payment (usually 75 days before sailing).

Most TAs ask for final payment a few days or a week before the Princess final payment in case there are any questions or issues about the booking or payment. Princess used to have a grace period after final payment date to settle final payments but no more. Once that date is gone, so is your booking. While technically, you can transfer the booking up until the Princess final payment date, I wouldn't wait that long.

[Renmar]

I agree....we travel a lot and I like control of all bookings....we get free air and hotel and I always monitor cruise line prices and get great deals. I do not need some TA in PA pretending they are helping me. Plus, most cruse lines do not even let TA's discount anymore.

 

The travel game in not that hard to figure out to maximize all the perks that can be available to a smart traveler. :)

 

I would love to know who you are talking to at Princess to get free air & hotel. Do you get this all the time or only when they have one of their super sales such as the last promotion that offered pretty well a free cruise. I like to become a smart traveler also.:D

In all our 15 cruises we have never, ever been offered free air or hotel with Princess (or any other cruise line for that matter).

I know there are some cruise lines that do "include" the air in their price but they are definitely not "free", you pay for it somehow.

We have booked with the cruise lines directly and also with TA's and are still looking for that elusive "free" air.

We do however receive, most of the time, perks in the form of OBC-bottles of wine-specialty restaurant dinners.

 

Theo

[TracieABD]

I love my TA!:)

[caribill]

I would love to know who you are talking to at Princess to get free air & hotel.

 

Poster did not say they were getting the free air and hotel from Princess.

 

I assume they get it from frequent flier points and hotel stay points.

[Renmar]

Poster did not say they were getting the free air and hotel from Princess.

 

I assume they get it from frequent flier points and hotel stay points.

 

I assumed that they got it from Princess the way it worded.

 

Theo

[PrincessMelody]

I never book my cruises directly through Princess...I shop around for the best deal from any of the several online discount TA's that I've used in the past. They always do better on price and OBC than Princess. And like Pam says, online TA's are generally as helpful and available as Princess TA's, so I'd much rather save 10-20% AND get extra OBC! But that's just me...:D

[Carolyn R]

I have a really good TA but am always ready to book on my own if I see an incredible deal (once got a Window Suite for the same rice as an inside). In most cases with my TA, she will include taxes and port fees in her quote and it will still come out less than the baseline price on the Princess website, then she adds on other perks such as OBC and wine. This is for an inside cabin. For a higher category the perks and the savings can exponentially increase. Keep an open mind and be flexible.

[avcruz]

Please quote your source because I think it's the other way around. The number of travel agents keep dwindling because people book their own travel. People research travel on the numerous web sites and compare trips and airfare and book themselves . Some online TA's give better perks then a brick and mortar storefront TA can afford to give.

I usually book myself so that i can keep control of my booking. If I see a better cabin or a better deal or something pop up like an offer for OBC on the Princess site I can call Princess. If you use a TA you cannot call Princess , they tell you to call your TA. If it's after hours or a week end and you can't reach your TA you could miss out on something you want to accomplish.

 

Actually, the agency my TA works for just expanded. I don't think their numbers are dwindling, I just think their role is changing. I also have her cell number so I can call her evenings or weekends if I need to (I don't usually, she's the one who often advises me of a price drop or promo)

 

As for a source, according to CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) 21.7 million people will cruise in 2014, and almost 90% of those people will book through a travel agency; online or bricks & mortar.

[BJS]

We just finished a fabulous Alaska cruise with an escort from the TA. Some of the perks were daily gifts like sweatshirts, tote bags, Alaskan fudge and jelly, etc. We also got 2 bottles of wine (corkage paid) and a private cocktail party in Skywalker's with beautiful views of Glacier Bay. We have already booked two more cruises with this TA. It really pays to find a good one.:D

 

After having tried several TA in the past we started booking our own cruises directly and watching for price reductions thus having direct control of our booking. The first few cruises we learned that prices do drop and people do get discounts and gifts but we had paid top dollar with no perks. The money we saved was well worth not getting stuck with a TA that did nothing but take our booking.

 

Finding a good TA is not easy:(

 

partybarbie -Sounds like we may have found your TA. When on an Alaskan cruise last summer we met a TA escorting a group and learned what she had to offer. We spoke with several in her group who said they'd booked cruises with her in the past and how pleased they were. We received emails about her round trip bus to the port and her escorted tours but lived in AZ so it was not until we moved to her area that we booked a cruise and now have 3 booked with her. With all the good comments about this TA I am hopeful but not being able to reach her when I want because she is so busy has also been very frustrating.

 

After the 1st booking with her we met another agent who said he had a great deal and great service so booked a cruise and 5 days later they still had not booked the cruise. I called them and they said a better deal was coming along so they waited. You would think a phone call to us would have been in order but no.....needless to say.....we canceled that cruise and would never use nor recommend them to anyone. When getting down to details his great deals never materialized plus he spoke poorly of the TA we are now booked with.

 

Carole_T I wish you luck finding that perfect TA...personally I think they are few and far between. Booking and controlling your cruise and air, etc. is very easy so if you don't find that good agent you can always book yourself until you do but keep a close eye on prices so if they do drop you can call and get the better price. Even if you find a good TA keeping an eye on prices can pay off...example we booked a balcony and just spotted a reduction plus OBC for a mini suite for less than $100 net increase so called TA and changed our stateroom. Good TAs are busy and can't keep the same type of eye on your booking as you can.

[Carole_T]

Thanks BJS, appreciate your comment~I have booked cruises myself before and been comfortable doing it. This cruise with tour is pretty spendy and if ever you want "perks" now would be the time. I can't wait until I'm on the ship to ask other cruisers, as that'll be too late:eek: I do have well over a year from now until final payment, so hopefully some research will pay off before then:D

[2 to cruise]

I do find it funny that people think that agents are "discounting" Princess' rates. They're not. When the TA calls or books through Princess' online booking engine, they are being given the same rates that anyone would get if they were calling direct. Only if the TA has a group onboard is there a possible discounted fare, but any other "discounts" or perks or OBC's are coming out of the TA's commission or the points that they accumulate depending on their volume.

 

 

This is what I find.......we do book suites, just our choice. When our TA calls Princess they get the same price that I do calling direct. If our TA has a group then that's different. Most of the time when we check there are no so called "deals" on suites.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

This is what I find.......we do book suites, just our choice. When our TA calls Princess they get the same price that I do calling direct. If our TA has a group then that's different. Most of the time when we check there are no so called "deals" on suites.

 

As I understand it, and as RickEk mentioned, any "discount" you get comes out of the TAs commission they get from the cruise line, not from the line itself. You are correct in that the price Princess quotes your TA is the same you see online at Princess' site. What the TA may not be telling you is that Princess gives them a commission in addition.

 

My longtime TA seems to no longer be "discounting" Princess at all, but some CCers say they are routinely getting 10-20% discounts. So it pays to shop around.

Edited June 20, 2014 by Ryndam2002

[Carole_T]

As I understand it, and as RickEk mentioned, any "discount" you get comes out of the TAs commission they get from the cruise line, not from the line itself. You are correct in that the price Princess quotes your TA is the same you see online at Princess' site. What the TA may not be telling you is that Princess gives them a commission in addition.

 

My longtime TA seems to no longer be "discounting" Princess at all, but some CCers say they are routinely getting 10-20% discounts. So it pays to shop around.

 

That's all I'm looking for! I realize the discounts are coming from the TA's. That's why I'm looking for a good TA that also discounts! Why shouldn't I try to receive discounts that others are getting? 10-20% off of a cruisetour is substantial to me!