Travel agency bookings

[staygulf]

For many years we have booked our cruises through an online agency. However with the extremely fluid pricing policy of most cruise lines these days, it seems that the prices offered by agencies are exactly the same as those offered by the cruise lines on their websites.

 

Is there any reason why we should bother using agents. What is your experience with booking direct with a cruise line? Does it make any difference?

 

Confused.

[Bonnie J.]

We now book with the cruise line, often on line, early in the morning (sometimes 6am!) Carnival and I think RCCL, and maybe other lines do not allow TAs to charge less than their price. TA's may offer a bottle of wine, OBC or something they pay for but can not charge less than the ship's price. We have the same agent who is with Carnival, when we book with her. She is a Carnival agent, paid by Carnival, she is not paid a commission as TAs are. She is delightful and helpful and got to know us.

[leaveitallbehind]

For many years we have booked our cruises through an online agency. However with the extremely fluid pricing policy of most cruise lines these days, it seems that the prices offered by agencies are exactly the same as those offered by the cruise lines on their websites.

 

Is there any reason why we should bother using agents. What is your experience with booking direct with a cruise line? Does it make any difference?

 

Confused.

 

Yes, the TA's pricing and the cruise line direct pricing are the same - always have been. The difference with some TA's is group blocks of staterooms reserved by them and released individually to customers at a slightly reduced rate from the group discount, and perks or other incentives given back to customers from their commissions.

 

Some TA's also charge service fees separate from the cruise line charges for changing, modifying, or cancelling a reservation made through them and are TA's IMO that should be avoided as a result.

 

In our case our TA does none of the above but does provide excellent service and watches for price changes, is flexible on a reservations to our periodic changes, etc. Well worth the commission she earns for us.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We won't book directly with HAL. Even though we pay everything with my American Express Platinum card, HAL will not allow us to get the $300 shipboard credit from AMEX like we can get when we use a TA.

Thus we have been fortunate to have a TA that we have used for over 25 years. Her agency pays American Express the yearly fee so that people can get that extra shipboard credit. Also we get extra gifts from her as well.

[LHT28]

It may be different in the UK but some TA's offer OBC or other perks as incentives to book through them

[MCC retired]

For most all cruise lines nowadays , TA's are not permitted to advertise any lower rates that they offer .

You must contact the TA for actual prices and amenities that they offer.

You should always be able to do better with a TA than booking direct with any cruise line. If not , keep shopping TA's that are Cruise Specialists.

Always interview any agency as to any fee' that they may have before ever booking.

[Hlitner]

Most of the cruise lines are now enforcing price controls that prohibit agencies from advertising lower prices. But the deals are still there for those who shop around and register (usually free) with multiple agencies. There are often times when one or several high volume agencies are authorized by the cruise lines to sell some cruises at a nice discount....but those discount prices will not be found by simply browsing the web unless you have access to fares only made available to folks who are registered with the agency. And agencies will also offer additional on board credits, pre paid gratuities, etc. We recently (last month) booked a long HAL cruise where one particular agency was able to give us about 40% off the price that was currently shown on the cruise line site and also most agencies. The fare did not show-up until we logged-on the agencies site where we are registered. I also checked (the same day) several other agencies we routinely use and nobody else was offering any fare that was even close. That is why we have long recommended that cruisers register with multiple high volume reputable agencies and always price-out any cruise with multiple agencies and the cruise line's web site.

 

Hank

Edited January 13, 2016 by Hlitner

[iancal]

We always shop and we typically use an on line TA.

 

I would say that we typically save 8-12 percent by doing this, plus we get the odd shore excursion thrown in. We view that at one cruise in ten is free.

 

We do the legwork. We view booking a cruise as a commodity item. Anyone can do it for us. We do not need to be best friends with our TA nor do we want to be bound by the business hours of a bricks and mortar TA. Others have a different, equally valid approach to booking. It really comes down to what services you need and what you are willing to pay for.

[paul929207]

One exception to the fixed prices is Princess. While they will not allow a TA to advertise lower prices, they can give a discount if you ask for a quote. My TA gives us 10 to 15% off the Princess price.

[janetz]

Agreed. We always receive a discount on our Princess sailings from our TA.

 

We have never booked a cruise with any line itself. We like the extra perks from our TA. ;)