Booking with a TA

[wishfulone]

I don't know why I put myself through it. I find the cruise. I do the research. I select the cabin. Then......I pick up the phone and call the TA. She gives me land credit or OBC, a loyalty discount or something nice. 

Then, I find the price drop, better cabins added and .....I pick up the phone and call the TA.

Well, every time without fail, I get the new price, the better cabin and all the cruise line perks I had to start with. But....I lose the TA land credit, the OBC, the loyalty discount and the something nice.

Why don't I just save myself the heartache and book directly with the cruise line?

[GUT2407]

I’ve done it all ways, TA, direct or PCC, pros and cons to each, but at the moment I struggle for time and energy so use a TA.

[joybook]

I must say that over the years I have received very little in the way of service or other things from TAs so I now rarely use them. I do all my cruise bookings direct with Princess and they have always honoured price drops when I have rung them. The only time I will use a TA is for bits and pieces added on to a 'non Australia' cruise before and after the cruise, such as accommodation, transfers, flights etc. and then if I don't like what they offer I will still go elsewhere. If they can't give you the service, don't use them.

[The_Big_M]

I may need your luck. I make the bookings with the TAs, get the benefits if so, the price doesn't go down, so I get what I originally booked with.

 

I don't think I've ever had a price reduction!

[Tara Jane]

2 hours ago, The_Big_M said:

I may need your luck. I make the bookings with the TAs, get the benefits if so, the price doesn't go down, so I get what I originally booked with.

 

I don't think I've ever had a price reduction!

Me neither but I do book very last minute.  I go with whoever gives me the best deal and 99% of the time it is not the cruise line.

[Russell21]

Our 5th cruise starts on Tuesday, its our 3rd booking with a particular TA in a large organisation. We have had SFA from her an have made up our mind to deal direct with the cruise lines in future. I even had to explain Princess future cruise deposit to her, and I think she didn't like the fact that I didn't have to pay a large deposit at the time of booking.

[windsor26]

1 hour ago, Russell21 said:

Our 5th cruise starts on Tuesday, its our 3rd booking with a particular TA in a large organisation. We have had SFA from her an have made up our mind to deal direct with the cruise lines in future. I even had to explain Princess future cruise deposit to her, and I think she didn't like the fact that I didn't have to pay a large deposit at the time of booking.

 

Definitely get a different and better agent  When I book my agent tells me how many FCL's I have and uses them in date preference  all good   I dont get many or any price drops either as I book with a very good price to start with

[NSWP]

We always book direct with Princess and have got many 'refares.'

[GUT2407]

Have refares  all ways.

 

7 was my record.

 

one pCC would refare without even asking, she knew what mattered to us.

Edited November 15, 2018 by GUT2407

[MicCanberra]

We have taken upgrades to take advantage of any price drops

[Elorac123]

23 hours ago, wishfulone said:

I don't know why I put myself through it. I find the cruise. I do the research. I select the cabin. Then......I pick up the phone and call the TA. She gives me land credit or OBC, a loyalty discount or something nice. 

Then, I find the price drop, better cabins added and .....I pick up the phone and call the TA.

Well, every time without fail, I get the new price, the better cabin and all the cruise line perks I had to start with. But....I lose the TA land credit, the OBC, the loyalty discount and the something nice.

Why don't I just save myself the heartache and book directly with the cruise line?

I saved $674 pp on my Feb 2020 Majestic booking with a TA and was able to choose my cabin

Cheers Carole

[kate59]

I book either direct or with TA, depending on the offers. I find a cruise I want to do, pick cabin type then email 5 TA companies for their best offering, including OBC, other things like wine and dinner. Then I go through and take best offer. 

I am retired so probably have to time to look for the best offers.

[Elorac123]

11 minutes ago, kate59 said:

I book either direct or with TA, depending on the offers. I find a cruise I want to do, pick cabin type then email 5 TA companies for their best offering, including OBC, other things like wine and dinner. Then I go through and take best offer. 

I am retired so probably have to time to look for the best offers.

I am quite new to cruising only having done 2 with 2 more booked and I will try your method for the next one

Cheers Carole 

[NSWP]

20 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

We have taken upgrades to take advantage of any price drops

Indeed, did that recently on Sapphire Princess and Royal Princess in Europe, I noticed price reductions so went from Balcony to Mini Suites for original fare, Princess lady fixed it up on the phone, no problem at all.

[Tara Jane]

When you get the price drop either re price or upgrade is it only when booking through the cruise line or also through the TA?

Is it the cruise lines own website that is used as the price to compare with?   I rarely book through the cruise line as have always got a much better deal from TAs.  I use a few different ones but find 1st and oz are generally the best prices.  We usually book very last minute quite often after final payment is due so pick up the cancelled rooms.    We aren't fussy where we are located as long as it is in a bed and has a bathroom.  Usually take guarantee if available.  That way I can keep dreaming of the penthouse until I get our cabin number.  We've never been unhappy with a cabin, maybe I am just too easy to please

[GUT2407]

Due to some health issues we pick and stick, now it even has to be wheelchair friendly, but have still had price drops honoured.

 

best was seven refares, saved over $1000 ea, (though to be fair I knew I booked over the odds when I booked it) plus about $700 OBC lost a bottle of wine and a diner in a specialty restaurant, we dont drink and diner would cost about $60 for the two of us.

 

i book, watch fares like a hawk, when I’m a few days out from loosing any money I decide if the price is low enough to live with, keep watching till I know they won’t honour price drops, then stop watching.

[GUT2407]

Though the Hawaii cruise I booked next year I missed cancellation by two days and lost two FCCs.

[The_Big_M]

38 minutes ago, Tara Jane said:

When you get the price drop either re price or upgrade is it only when booking through the cruise line or also through the TA?

 

 

The TA is only an agent, as the name says, so you are still eligible for re-pricing. However, being an agent they also have their own fees, and typically charge for the extra work to make a change. Moreover, by reducing the price it's to their cost (since they're paid commission on the fare) and a lower fare means less commission, so you should expect to pay a TA if you want them to reduce the fare.

[Tara Jane]

thank you for the explanation.  I have always wondered but never been in the position.  Ill keep my eyes on the cruise lines site for comparisons.  Totally fair enough to pay for changes.   Only ever had to cancel 2 trips neither being cruises, first from a cancer diagnosis and the other just this September thanks to a blood clot both were insurance claims so irrelevant as to the amount of the claim in reality.

[joybook]

I now usually book with Princess direct and they have always honoured price drops. The only time I had booked with a TA and there was a price drop, I had to actually tell the TA about it before they did anything. They obviously do not keep an eye on price drops for you. Poor service in my books.

[The_Big_M]

That's one of the upsides of booking direct. No extra layer of agency costs. But there can be benefits to booking with TAs too, so just comes down to the scenario and preferences.

[cruisine21]

We have a quote with an agent who was recommended to me. 49 nights river cruise + tour including return flights to London. She did the quote within a couple of hours $44061 for 2 people. I asked for spring or autumn and she quoted for June.She added counties that I didn’t even request. I guess some people are willing to pay that amount but it’s way over our budget.

[MicCanberra]

Goodness, I would say just quote me what I asked for.

[Tara Jane]

Same with my friend who went to a TA for a quote of flights and 10 days accommodation in Japan and rail pass.  TA came up with 7,500 aud per person,  I did it for her at a little over 2,300 aud.   TA included 4-5 star hotels and private tours.  I booked 3 star and goodwill guides.  Shes been back 2 weeks and had a fantastic time.   She lives in a rather upmarket area, and went to a local TA.   Guess the TA did some assuming.

  

Edited November 18, 2018 by Tara Jane

[MicCanberra]

Perhaps asking for what the person wants is more prudent, an all inclusive price compared to a do it yourself price will always differ greatly. i.e paying for a private guide as opposed to a goodwill guide can be a few hundred dollars in itself. In any case, specify what your budget is and expectations to avoid shock.