Do you use a travel agent or book with NCL direct?

[greyfoxrepublic]

I have done a few cruises with Norwegian and plan on using them in the future. I have one payed up for October. I've always booked direct with NCL either online or via an NCL cruise consultant. Would I get something more if I booked through an agent? I like Norwegian, just not sure whether I should try an agent next time. Advice?

[AtlantaAlly]

I would definitely have a travel agent price it out for you and see what kind of perks they can provide.

 

 

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[richard k]

I always use CAS get a better deal and get free water bottles from the casino.

[MSUcruisers]

I booked our next NCL cruise through our big box warehouse TA and will get over $400 in a cash card to use at the store.

 

 

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[Clay Clayton]

We have purchased cruises direct as well as through an online big box agency and most recently with a brick and mortar agency that gives us an obc in addition to the same price as buying direct.

 

As the PP suggested, shop around!

[www3traveler]

I have booked all of my cruises (37) through a local travel who is a Certified Travel Consultant. He books my hotels, and air and fixes whatever problems may arise sometimes like a change in flight schedule or cancellation.

[Socalev]

I usually use Casinos as Sea because I am receiving a comp from a land based casino or receiving 20% discount from casino affiliation. But I recently booked a cruise for my sister (who does not gamble) and I booked through a "senior" travel agency where the single cabin rate was less than what I priced on NCL. She also received additional $200 OBC from the agency. But it was not seamless, I was on the phone over a three day period finalizing the details. There was no dedicated TA so that was one part of the problem and then NCL was not aware of their own DoubleUp CruiseNext promotion.

[jskinsd]

I have done a few cruises with Norwegian and plan on using them in the future. I have one payed up for October. I've always booked direct with NCL either online or via an NCL cruise consultant. Would I get something more if I booked through an agent? I like Norwegian, just not sure whether I should try an agent next time. Advice?

It all depends on how much time you really want to research your cruise and how much extra you are willing to pay somebody to do it for you. What are you looking for peace of mind, value, perks or all of the above. And if you do not compare, how would you know you got a fair deal. And then if prices go down will your TA inform you about a better possible deal. A loyal person will pay for peace of mind. Good service. Reliability. A smart person will monitor many agencies for best value and rely on there good judgement for peace of mind. Sometimes it is the same TA or agency your have used before. Monitoring prices daily is also a good way of killing time when waiting for a cruise. Most cruisers will say that they were happy with the price when they purchased the cruise. But you know it hurts a little when you know you could have done better if you just kept monitoring prices up until the cruise starts.

[NancyW12]

It also depends on what class of cabin you are looking to purchase. I travel solo in the cheapest cabin on the boat. usually when I consider a TA, they can give me the same price as NCL and a $25 OBC- not worth it to give up the ability to purchase spa passes, book my shows. etc. If one was staying in the Haven with multiple people, they are spending 10-20x my cruise price and would get perks to match that.

[casofilia]

I use an NCL PCC but I have had a few at times and find they can be good, bad or indifferent. I had a good one for a long time and it was wonderful. If you get a good one try to keep and build up a rapport.

[sprint180]

I just book direct. The first time we used a TA. (There is only one with in 110 miles from me.) They charged me $100 for the privilege. I just keep my money now and book myself.

[marilynd]

I booked directly with a NCL agent for many years. A few years ago I saw that there was only one suite in the Haven on a cruise we were interested in. I hurried and call my person at NCL and told him to hurry and grab that cabin for us. He got back with me and said that the suite was sold and there were no more Haven suites available.

I booked all other cruise lines with an independent agency. I called my agent from there and she was able to pull up the Haven suite I wanted and book it.

[casofilia]

Don't forget that travel agencies do have cabins on their books that NCL are not able to access till the TA returns them "close to the off" as they can't sell them. If NCL says no availability check with the big companies as they may well have some.

[1AL]

I have done a few cruises with Norwegian and plan on using them in the future. I have one payed up for October. I've always booked direct with NCL either online or via an NCL cruise consultant. Would I get something more if I booked through an agent? I like Norwegian, just not sure whether I should try an agent next time. Advice?

 

Do yourself a BIG favor and find a travel agent that specializes in Interline rates.....this year we have done 10 cruises so far, and it's still July.......we have paid NO MORE than $25 per person per day and that INCLUDES the cost of the cruise, all port charges, taxes and fees.

Google is your friend.

[dd likes to cruise]

I have 3 NCL cruises booked right now. 1 direct with NCL, with a group rate and extra perks. And the other 2 with 2 different online agencies I’ve used before. I compare each time I book. As stated in a previous post, sometimes a TA will have cabins held in a block that they can sell at a better rate then NCL themselves, sometimes they don’t.

 

All 3 have Next Cruise certificates added also. I had 2 and purchased more on ebay to help with the savings also. Unless I am unhappy with the next cruise, I will be purchasing more while on board this Oct.

[1AL]

I have 3 NCL cruises booked right now. 1 direct with NCL, with a group rate and extra perks. And the other 2 with 2 different online agencies I’ve used before. I compare each time I book. As stated in a previous post, sometimes a TA will have cabins held in a block that they can sell at a better rate then NCL themselves, sometimes they don’t.

 

All 3 have Next Cruise certificates added also. I had 2 and purchased more on ebay to help with the savings also. Unless I am unhappy with the next cruise, I will be purchasing more while on board this Oct.

 

 

You can buy as many as you want onboard......So far this year I purchased AND sold 12 of them.

I make about $50 off each certificate (I buy them @ $125 each and sell them @ around $175 each). Easy to

sell either here on CC, on Ebay or Craigslist.

I keep one or two to use on our next NCL cruise and sell the rest.

Then I repeat the whole process again, buying them onboard and selling them, buying them onboard and selling them.

You get the drift.....With the money I make from selling the certificates, it's another savings on our next cruise.

If you hassle enough and buy and sell enough of them, your next cruise could potentially be free.

 

ONE caveat though, you CANNOT use these if you book at interline rates- period!

[tallnthensome]

We always book direct and never use a TA. I won't 100% control over my bookings. The only person I can trust and give my trip 100% attention is me. Even if I could get $100 OBC, it would not be worth it to put my cruise in other's hands. Used a TA once and all she did was book our cruise and print out some luggage tags for us. Waste of time ..... your experience may vary.

[ctnurse]

Do yourself a BIG favor and find a travel agent that specializes in Interline rates.....this year we have done 10 cruises so far, and it's still July.......we have paid NO MORE than $25 per person per day and that INCLUDES the cost of the cruise, all port charges, taxes and fees.

Google is your friend.

 

 

Don't you have to work for an airline or other travel related business to qualify for Interline rates?

[newmexicoNita]

I have done a few cruises with Norwegian and plan on using them in the future. I have one payed up for October. I've always booked direct with NCL either online or via an NCL cruise consultant. Would I get something more if I booked through an agent? I like Norwegian, just not sure whether I should try an agent next time. Advice?

We always use an agent and always have. there are a couple of reasons for this: one, if something does go wrong an agent has more clout than an individual, know where to go for help and will be better able to handle situations. 2-yes, quite often agents will offer additional perks. You rarely pay anything for the use of an agent: some might charge a few $$s but it amounts to nothing in the long run.

 

The important thing is: you use a travel agent with a good reputation. One that does have knowledge and isn't just an order taker. A good agent also keeps tract of price changes for you.

Edited July 26, 2018 by newmexicoNita

[pghflyer]

We have saved a LOT by not booking direct and never booked with any cruise line directly. And I have never even heard of an agent charging a fee just to book the cruise, seriously I would openly laugh at them. My favorite and super easy is the cruise competing site but recently started using one particular agency because I always ended up with going with them anyhow. As an example, just booked a cruise for 2020 and saved 15% off the NCL price, inclusive of all extras. The agents always seem to have more flexibility with putting together a package that matches my travel style (ex. I have no need for the distinctive voyage airfare credit / shore excursion credit....so they just don't add it and my fare is much cheaper). I wish Cruise Critic allowed more transparency on agents and prices but it prohibited in the forum rules and classified as advertising unfortunately.

[newmexicoNita]

I have booked all of my cruises (37) through a local travel who is a Certified Travel Consultant. He books my hotels, and air and fixes whatever problems may arise sometimes like a change in flight schedule or cancellation.

your story is very similar to ours: we love the idea ours will put the whole package together. From the time we leave our front door until we return home. Ours has even arranged transportation for us from the hotel to the port when necessary.

[newmexicoNita]

Don't you have to work for an airline or other travel related business to qualify for Interline rates?

of course you do and if there is an agent out there that has found a way around this I wouldn't touch him or her with a 10 foot pole :rolleyes:

[Trimone]

I always offer NCL to compete with the TA price, they can never even get near, I book packages with flight, pre stay hotel. Can’t mention the agents name, the post will be removed.

[PelicanBill]

We have booked with agents and direct. The problem with agents: there are not that many good ones out there, that do these things being posted here. They are GOLD when you find them. Even tried a friend who is an agent and got completely average results. They had a $100OBC and no booking fee, but, did not do anything else and did not watch for price drops. When a price drop happened, she was not at work for 2 days and nobody else wanted to touch her booking. So we're back to direct booking so I can call 24 hours if I need to. I do price check with online agencies to see if there is any big difference but it is never more than a couple hundred dollars.

[BostonGal35]

we always book direct with our PCC at norwegian. i think TA's are a waste...and i like having control of my reservation in the event there are issues.