Pros and Cons in Booking through an Agent?

[JudyA01]

Hi everyone,

 

What are the pros and cons in booking through an agent?

 

Is it much better for us her in Aus to book directly to the cruise company?

 

Thanks in advance,

Judy

 

 

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[Tara Jane]

I have booked both direct with the cruise company and also with travel agents. The pros direct are, no middle man, only one fee if you need to cancel.

Cons - some of the cruise company have terrible websites and their phone staff are even harder to understand than the website.

I usually go for price, whoever I can get the best price with, as both using a TA and direct have the disadvantages and advantages. Some people post here that they get better on board credit using a TA. The main disadvantage of using a TA I think is that if you have to cancel most of them seem to charge their own cancellation or amendment fees on top of what the cruise company charge.

I am yet to find a travel agent I am totally happy with. Am using one for my upcoming QM2 cruise who so far has been very good so if all is equal I might stick with her. I have had TA's make some horrendous mistakes so always double, triple and quadruple check everything they do. I even had one who ordered Japan rail passes for our group but had the wrong name on 2 of them!!!

[Tara Jane]

I am also in Melbourne but the one I am using for this upcoming cruise is on the gold coast. I really dont think it matters where they are based as everything is done via email these days.

With the upcoming cruise, hubby and I boooked, then within a week we had a group of 12 coming along. Pity we didnt know they would all be wanting to join us as perhaps we could have got a better deal, but I am still very happy with what the deal we got.

[JudyA01]

Hi Tara Jane,

 

Seems you have a really good TA.

 

Mine is nice too but she hasn't experienced any cruising yet. So , I am trying to get as much info from this forum.

 

Judy

 

 

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[Codster]

I have booked both direct and through a TA. The only issue I have with a TA is that if you plan on paying with a credit card some agents will charge you a % fee to pay that way and whilst it's not a huge amount in the whole grand scheme of things it could equal a days worth of drinks or a shore excursion.

[stingau]

TA's are ok if you can find a good honest one. Sadly to say they are few and far between. There is one in Morayfield QLD that are the biggest rip offs around. We had paid for a suite for 4 people for our first cruise. The cruise was cancelled and the cruise line offered everyone a full refund and 50% off our next cruise.

 

When it came time to collect the agent kept over $1000 of the refund stating that it was their commission and as they had done the work they were entitled to it. Because I complained about it they then told me that they knew nothing about the 50% off voucher. When I contacted the cruise

One they stated that one was issued to the agent and that a replacement one could not be given, take up the matter with your agent.

 

Since then we have used both direct booking as well as an online Canadian based agent all with no problems.

 

It seems that when using an agent as a middleman if things go wrong the agent and cruise line blame each other and at the end of the day the only loser is you the customer.

[JudyA01]

Thanks Codster.

 

Yes, my TA charges 1.8% of total cost when using credit card to pay.

 

So are you saying booking directly doesn't have that?

 

Judy

 

 

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[Codster]

Hi Judy , last cruise I booked P&O I paid direct with credit card a wasn't charged a fee. This time I have gone through a TA again because we got a better deal but they charge the same as your to pay with a cc. This time is RCI, I can't find anything to say they charge a fee if you book direct but that might just mean I'm not looking hard enough. :D

[Kiwi Kruzer]

I have booked both direct and through a TA. The only issue I have with a TA is that if you plan on paying with a credit card some agents will charge you a % fee to pay that way and whilst it's not a huge amount in the whole grand scheme of things it could equal a days worth of drinks or a shore excursion.

 

Thanks Codster.

 

Yes, my TA charges 1.8% of total cost when using credit card to pay.

 

So are you saying booking directly doesn't have that?

 

Judy

 

 

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The competition between the agents is starting to hot up . Some TA's are now openly advertising that they do not charge the CC fee. The best thing to do is a google search for agents that specialise in cruise bookings and sign up for each ones newsletters. Then you can compare what they offer.

My agent does not charge the fee, however on very last minute discounted deals there is a condition that the fee is charged .

 

 

[Codster]

Gee that was a bit rough Stingau I can fully understand why you would only book direct now. Did you ever get any satisfaction with your refund

[GurlzCruisinRTW]

I do my own thing - ie. always do my own bookings

 

One trip, to the U S, I had 28 bookings with travel, hotels, tours etc and not one failed or had issue with

 

I like to do my own bookings as I usually know where I am straight away with the booking, can change with no charge or knowing there will be a charge etc

 

Always read blogs on others who have gone to my interested places - that's what excites me to go :)

[GUT2407]

I have had nothing but trouble with TAs

 

Didn't forward final payment and when fare jumped $2k expected me to wear it

 

Didn't forward cruise personaliser (back when they were in paper form in the back of the brochure)

 

Didn't return calls, in one case costing me $500 OBC

 

Stuffing up the personaliser (minor issue as all fixed up once on board, but hotel manager was so upset I was shown what had been entered and it was nothing like I'd requested).

 

Once didnt put through my insurance:eek:. I only found out when I got home.

 

 

Now I take care of it myself, have a pretty good planner with Princess and when sailing with someone else just o it online.

[By The Bay]

TA's are ok if you can find a good honest one. Sadly to say they are few and far between. There is one in Morayfield QLD that are the biggest rip offs around. We had paid for a suite for 4 people for our first cruise. The cruise was cancelled and the cruise line offered everyone a full refund and 50% off our next cruise.

 

When it came time to collect the agent kept over $1000 of the refund stating that it was their commission and as they had done the work they were entitled to it. Because I complained about it they then told me that they knew nothing about the 50% off voucher. When I contacted the cruise

One they stated that one was issued to the agent and that a replacement one could not be given, take up the matter with your agent.

 

Since then we have used both direct booking as well as an online Canadian based agent all with no problems.

 

It seems that when using an agent as a middleman if things go wrong the agent and cruise line blame each other and at the end of the day the only loser is you the customer.

Thanks for the warning about that TA. Google identified the culprit, so I know to steer clear of them.:)

[GUT2407]

And since TAs no longer need (in NSW anyway) to be listened or submit to any trust fund audits... Well what can you say.

 

I strongly advise that any payment to a TA be accompanied by a letter stating that such funds are to be held on trust until payment is made to the carrier.

 

Will it save you ... No.

 

But it will bump you up the list of creditors if one goes to the wall.

[stingau]

Gee that was a bit rough Stingau I can fully understand why you would only book direct now. Did you ever get any satisfaction with your refund

 

Nope they both blamed each other I thought of legal action but at the end of the better to walk away. Will never use that agency again...what makes it worse it is a RACQ linked agency, tho since then I see they have divided the shop to distance themselves from ea other. And I will never cruise on that cruise line again, they were vaguely hinting well you should have dealt direct with us in the first place because you didn't we can't help you, it's up to your agent.

[stingau]

Thanks for the warning about that TA. Google identified the culprit, so I know to steer clear of them.:)

 

There is more than one TA in the shopping centre but this family mob have their tentacles in a lot of local businesses, RACQ agent, smash repairs, car sales.

[stingau]

The big thing that really annoys me in this direct v agent debate is if you use an agent the cruise line refuses to answer any questions or assist you.

 

Recent example we went to a cruise expo last year and at a cruise line stand we accepted a good deal, we cruise next month. After paying the deposit, we were told the invoice etc will be emailed to us. This isn't an issue, we had cc deposit receipt. When it arrived it was from a travel agency on the other side of Brisbane over an hours drive away. After final payment the consultant emailed us and said she was leaving the company. Because our cruise was finalised, all paid she wasn't assigning our cruise to a co worker.

 

I am an ex serving ADF member and as such recieve a $100 OBC credit. I had submitted the paperwork to the agent and recieved a call saying all was approved. When I couldn't see it anyway on my cruise personaliser online with the cruise line I contacted the cruise line to confirm that it was there, better to do it now than try and sort it out onboard. The cruise line said they couldn't help me or inform me of what credits had been applied I had to deal with the agent.

 

My question is after final payment what company who is supplying the product or service refuses to talk with their end user customer. If I have a problem with a TV set who do I call the manufacturer, not joes TV sales

[cruisine21]

I got a quote from a TA last week for a B2B package. It was $4799pp plus prepaid gratuities $437pp which should be a total of $5236pp. The invoice I received by email showed deposit $1500pp and final payment $5188pp. That's a huge difference being $2904 total. I didn't query it because I decided to not go ahead at this stage but I wonder why the difference was so much. You would think they would get the quote right.

Edited February 21, 2016 by cruisine21

[JudyA01]

I got a quote from a TA last week for a B2B package. It was $4799pp plus prepaid gratuities $437pp which should be a total of $5236pp. The invoice I received by email showed deposit $1500pp and final payment $5188pp. That's a huge difference being $2904 total. I didn't query it because I decided to not go ahead at this stage but I wonder why the difference was so much. You would think they would get the quote right.

 

 

Hi Cruisine21,

 

That's a huge difference!

 

I wonder though, if you don't go ahead with the booking, would you lose your deposit?

 

Thank you for sharing this experience, which reminds me to always double check the invoice/documents.

 

Judy

 

 

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[JudyA01]

I do my own thing - ie. always do my own bookings

 

 

 

One trip, to the U S, I had 28 bookings with travel, hotels, tours etc and not one failed or had issue with

 

 

 

I like to do my own bookings as I usually know where I am straight away with the booking, can change with no charge or knowing there will be a charge etc

 

 

 

Always read blogs on others who have gone to my interested places - that's what excites me to go :)

 

 

Hi GurlzCruisin RTW,

 

From the hindsight, I should have just done it myself.

 

But because it's our first family cruise, I thought TA would be more knowledgeable and beneficial for us. But after reading these comments, I am now considering if it ia worth it for me to just cancel my booking and to just book it myself, if we are not going to lose the deposit.

 

Thank you for your input.

 

Regards,

Judy

 

 

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[JudyA01]

TA's are ok if you can find a good honest one. Sadly to say they are few and far between. There is one in Morayfield QLD that are the biggest rip offs around. We had paid for a suite for 4 people for our first cruise. The cruise was cancelled and the cruise line offered everyone a full refund and 50% off our next cruise.

 

 

 

When it came time to collect the agent kept over $1000 of the refund stating that it was their commission and as they had done the work they were entitled to it. Because I complained about it they then told me that they knew nothing about the 50% off voucher. When I contacted the cruise

 

One they stated that one was issued to the agent and that a replacement one could not be given, take up the matter with your agent.

 

 

 

Since then we have used both direct booking as well as an online Canadian based agent all with no problems.

 

 

 

It seems that when using an agent as a middleman if things go wrong the agent and cruise line blame each other and at the end of the day the only loser is you the customer.

 

 

Hi Stingau,

 

Thank you for sharing this experience. And I hope new cruisers would find out about this forum prior to booking.

 

I am now more than determined to do my own booking in our future cruises.

 

Judy

 

 

 

 

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[JudyA01]

 

 

 

My question is after final payment what company who is supplying the product or service refuses to talk with their end user customer. If I have a problem with a TV set who do I call the manufacturer, not joes TV sales

 

 

Hi Stingau,

 

To answer your question, I would think you would conyact the TV sales, but Iam not sure if that's 100% correct.

 

Last year, we had our kitchen canopy rangehood replaced which didn't function well. The installer told me it's nothing to do with him but for me to call the manufacturer.

 

When I informed the person we bought it from, she actually took the issue with the manufactuter by herself, who then contacted me.

 

So I guess in cruising, it all depends if the TA is honest enough or if the TA would do the 'extra mile' for the client.

 

Judy

 

 

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[Bodogbodog]

Wow - certainly some interesting views and stories on Travel Agents (TA) here

 

First - I am not a travel agent or associate with one (except to use one)

 

I always use a TA to make my bookings for the following reasons:

 

• The price they charge is exactly the same as I can buy it from the cruise line
  
• They know the tips and tricks of cruising
  
• They maintain a good relationship with my favourite cruise line and other lines which helps with upgrades and other benefits
  
• They provide me with a healthy amount of On Board Credit (OBC)
  
• They don't charge any fee for a credit card transaction
  
• They don't charge a fee for changes or cancellations
  
• The payments are actually made directly to the cruise line using my credit card by the agent so they never hold my money
  
• They provide me with options for added benefits through a referral programme
  
• They are very responsive and always reply within a couple of hours
  

 

They're a US based TA - although they are also licenced in Australia and when I ring a Sydney phone number (or one in Hong Kong or Russia for that matter) they answer

 

Why wouldn't I use an agent with those benefits?

[cassamanda]

Nope they both blamed each other I thought of legal action but at the end of the better to walk away. Will never use that agency again...what makes it worse it is a RACQ linked agency, tho since then I see they have divided the shop to distance themselves from ea other. And I will never cruise on that cruise line again, they were vaguely hinting well you should have dealt direct with us in the first place because you didn't we can't help you, it's up to your agent.

When you book through a TA you sign away all rights to that TA, therefore it is not fair to blame the cruise line when things go wrong. That is why i will always book direct unless there is a huge benefit such as the TA adding there own OBC plus that of the cruise line.

[Swissmiss6253]

Do you all consider the online booking sites to be TAs? We have used the same online one for both cruises, based in the ACT, as their site is so easy to use. Any experience with online bookings?