US TAs for UK cruisers -Advice please

[scottish]

Hi,

 

We are from the UK. I know this has been discussed at other times but would appreciate up to date advice please from other UK travellers.

 

We've been twice with Princess (Ocean 3/02 and Sun 4/04) also booked on the Coral, April 05 and have yet another open booking valid 4 years.

 

We are avid Cruise Critic readers and have learned much from the many valued posts made from fellow cruisers. Recently we have grown disillusioned with the service levels of our High Street UK TAs and often feel that we, through research, know more than they do.

 

Quite of few of the CC Brits appear to advocate the use of TAs in the US and we are very interested but we have concerns

 

e.g. Do Princess allow this?

Are there really savings to be made? exchange rate and all!

Are there risks?

How easy is it?

 

A big issue for us.....we feel herded by Princess when it comes to our flights. Block bookings by the Cruise Line mean little individual choice of seating on flights and I am sure those of you who have done this will agree that the location of your seat on a 9/10 hour flight makes a difference.

 

Please dont misunderstand our intentions. We love Princess cruises, but only want to tailor the long haul as pleasurably and inexpensively as can we can.

 

If anyone can help - thanks

[UK Cruiser]

Hi Scottish. We used a US TA for our recently completed cruise and are just sorting out our next one.

To answer your questions - yes, it's easy, yes - it's sort of allowed(!), yes, there are most definitely savings to be made and I haven't found any risks yet.

The main difference is that we are responsible for arranging our own air transportation as US TAs cannot book our transatlantic flights.

 

If you want to give me an e-mail address I will be more than happy to elaborate on these answers.

[Kittycat]

UKcruiser, I'd also be interested in your advice on booking through a US TA - my email address is:- g.cat@ntlworld.com. Thanks.

 

Island Princes, February 2004

Golden Princess, June 2002

[scottish]

UK Cruiser

 

Thanks for your prompt reply. My email address is

 

j.ferrie@btinternet.com

 

I appreciate your time in corresponding.

 

Margaret

[BurBunny]

While not all agencies in the US allow their agents to do it, it's actually a fairly easy procedure for those who do book international clients. Definitely book with an agent experienced in it

 

<font face="Imprint MT Shadow" size="5" color="#FFCC00">Amber</font>

<font size="4" face="Berlin Sans FB">Cruise Resource

BiddingFun and BiddingHELP</font>

 

 

[scottish]

Amber

 

I am grateful to you for your comments. I have always valued your many posts on these boards.

 

I will take your advice and be sure to deal with an internationally experienced TA.

 

Thankyou

 

Margaret

[Alan2504]

Margaret,

 

I don't know where in Scotland you are based, but we have found the Continental Airways service out of Glasgow to Fort Lauderdale (via Newark) really handy and have had some good deals on the flight prices too. I understand that Continental are starting a similar service out of Edinburgh this year.

We generally book a cruise only and arrange our own flights.

For the cruise we usually get a few quotes from the US and then feed them back to TA based in Glasgow and give them the chance to quote too.

Usually they virtually match the price, so if its less than £50 off a difference we use the local TA knowing that they are fully ABTA bonded etc.

Similarly with flights we shop around for best prices and feed these back into to the local TA to match, which they so far have always managed or bettered.

 

Alan

[minke]

Excuse me for posting this on Princess board when I have not yet managed to cruise with them (cruised 10 other lines) but I do moniter this board as there are a few itinerary's I would like to do.

My experience with USA TA's was good, for 1st time booked HAL's westerdam & my own flights to Med with easyjet. Used CQ (if you know what I mean) prompt reply to questions, docs arrived 5 days after email saying they were on way & for 2 of us saved $750 from the lowest quote given by all cruise specialist TA's in UK

 

czar22

[scottish]

Thanks to Alan and Minke. It is very reassuring to hear such good experiences and your advice is welcome.

 

Alan - we are from Larbert, not a million miles from yourself. Your FT Lauderdale flight sounds ideal for the port transfer. Is your Glasgow TA shop based or telephone based? Sounds like they might be skilled in cruise handling.

 

Our April 05 cruise on Coral is already arranged (flights with Princess, booked locally) but we have an open booking still to use and it is for that one we are looking to be a bit more independent.

 

This site is a goldmine for research as impartial info from UK agents on the benefits of doing cruise and flights separately either in UK or US is difficult to find.

 

Cheers

 

Margaret

[Alan2504]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>

 

Alan - we are from Larbert, not a million miles from yourself. Your FT Lauderdale flight sounds ideal for the port transfer. Is your Glasgow TA shop based or telephone based? Sounds like they might be skilled in cruise handling.

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Margaret <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

Margaret,

 

They are actually shop based , but I tend to deal with them by e-mail and the occasional phone call.

(Try talking to Trish Smith at J Semple in Bishopbriggs)

The flights are pretty hassle free compared to the "nightmare" of Miami airport. I was speaking to a couple on our Easter cruise who took three and a half hours to clear Miami airport, not a nice way to start a holiday

 

Alan

[suekay]

It's easy

Yes, there's a risk with the exchange rate, but we tend to pay off some or all of the cruise when the rate appears favourable

As your credit card is charged directly by the cruiseline, that eliminates the risk of the TA going bump

We use B**cruises (got a recent post deleted so I'm a bit wary about what we can write) - very quick, good prices, price drops and coupons honoured

I use Kelkoo to monitor flight prices and grab a good deal as soon as I see one

I use Priceline for the hotel

I usually reckon that I can book a balcony cabin through the US for the same price or less than booking a UK package inside cabin

 

suekeelan at hotmail dot com

[UK Cruiser]

We have just made our second booking through a US agent (K!). Allowing for our own flights (internet) we are saving £700 each against the best brochure price we could find for a balcony cabin for next February. We are also getting a shipboard credit which we wouldn't have had booking in the UK. We've used a Future Cruise Credit taken when on board our last cruise.

 

The only problem you may encounter is trying to use a FCC for a UK agent through a US agent. We were told on board that this wasn't possible - it was one or the other.