Travel Agents

[Sky Sweet]

Which factors do you consider when you choose a travel agent to book a cruise?

[canderson]

Which factors do you consider when you choose a travel agent to book a cruise?

 

A) availability, including weekends in a pinch

B) access to choice cabins

C) price

 

Note that the TA's business model can make a big difference in B and C, since on many itineraries, prices go up and good cabins disappear quickly. A TA that puts up the big money at release can cherry pick cabins, and can provide a better price when they start creeping up. Especially if I don't book early, I've got a better shot with a TA of this type, saving a bunch and more likely getting the cabin I want.

[WatchHill]

1. Integrity - quotes once

2. Availability - Just a phone call or email away, always follows up

3. Knowledge - Knows the products he sells based on experience

 

I have had the same TA for 17 years.

[Sky Sweet]

A) availability, including weekends in a pinch

B) access to choice cabins

C) price

 

Note that the TA's business model can make a big difference in B and C, since on many itineraries, prices go up and good cabins disappear quickly. A TA that puts up the big money at release can cherry pick cabins, and can provide a better price when they start creeping up. Especially if I don't book early, I've got a better shot with a TA of this type, saving a bunch and more likely getting the cabin I want.

 

Are you referring to TA's who actually buy a block of cabins and then resell them?

[ocngypz]

Agencies do not get to cherry pick cabins.

[mafig]

Availability - weekends a plus. Prompt return of phone calls or emails.

 

Price,of course.

 

No fee for cancellation or changing cabins.

[Sky Sweet]

Availability - weekends a plus. Prompt return of phone calls or emails.

 

Price,of course.

 

No fee for cancellation or changing cabins.

 

Have you been able to find a TA who has good prices and doesn't charge a cancellation fee? The only agents I have found that don't charge a cancellation fee are the ones with pricing that is almost the same as booking directly with Celebrity.

[Susan-M]

Although knowledge of cruising is important, I find it even more reassuring if they have actually taken the cruise that you are considering.

 

With regard to pricing, it's nice if they have a special arrangement with the cruiseline (probably not relevant now with Celebrity). The bricks & mortar TA that I deal with has special pricing arrangements with Cunard, HAL and a few others.

 

I just booked a cruise directly with Celebrity and felt very confident with the rep that I dealt with. And I have had good experience with an on-line TA that I've dealt with twice. I think the important thing is to feel confident that you are dealing with a reputable agent before booking, and not base the decision on price alone.

[mafig]

Have you been able to find a TA who has good prices and doesn't charge a cancellation fee? The only agents I have found that don't charge a cancellation fee are the ones with pricing that is almost the same as booking directly with Celebrity.

 

 

I use two different TAs. One for Princess and another for everything else. I have not booked with Celebrity since their new pricing, so I can't tell you what their pricing is for that cruiseline. Look around. They don't all charge cancellation fees....even though they like to say "everybody does."

[ocngypz]

Do you know why they charge cancellation fees?

[Sky Sweet]

Do you know why they charge cancellation fees?

 

This is just conjecture on my part, but I think it is to protect themselves from spending a lot of time with people who cancel before the cruise line's penalty period sets in, without a good reason for doing so.

[kelmac]

I love the control of doing everything myself. I've used several online agencies, but have settled in on one favorite. All the planning is half the fun!:) I want to book my own flights, my own hotels, my own shore excursions...,

Our motto-- "trip of a lifetime, every three months"

 

Enjoy!

Kel

[smeyer418]

I use a TA basically for two reasons.

1. I normally get something extra from the TA(either a lower price or some freebee)

2. When there is a problem, the cruiseline will more lilely listen to someone who books 100's of rooms than someone who books one.

[canderson]

Are you referring to TA's who actually buy a block of cabins and then resell them?

Yes, I am.

 

Celebrity can sit back and crank prices up all they want, but such agents can then continue to sell the cabins at the original rate. A gutsy business model, but with smart choices, certainly one that's good for the consumer.

[canderson]

Agencies do not get to cherry pick cabins.

Not even if they pay the big bucks for the cabin up front??? Funny how they're able to advertise what very specific cabin types they have available when they do this (e.g., aft CC cabins) when such cabins can't be found at Celebrity nor through any of the various consortiums. That's why I noted that availability of certain cabin types was on my list.

 

 

Here's a somewhat different question for you, since you're in the business and in a position to provide an answer from the perspective of someone who may have done this before:

 

Couple A puts down a deposit on a cruise with some agency.

 

The couple then decides (before final payment) that they're not going to be able to take the cruise afterall.

 

Couple B hears from Couple A that they plan to cancel, and calls that same agent, and notes that they'd like to take over the cabin that is about to be surrendered by Couple A, and is prepared to plunk down the requisite deposit for it.

 

How difficult is it for the agency to move Couple B's name to Couple A's cabin once Couple A calls to make their cancellation official with the agency?

[D&L]

Service is king!

[Duanerice1]

I like to book the cruise myself. I've used travel agents and haven't used them. Don't take this the wrong way, but I don't see the value in using one for a "normal" cruise. Now if I was going on something more complicated then maybe.

 

Last time I used and agent, I got frustrated that everytime I wanted something or wanted to request something, I couldn't call Celebrity, I had to call the agent who called Celebrity. They were nice, but didn't add any value.

 

I usually see if an agent wants to take over my reservation once I have made it. If they can beat the price or give me a little something back in onboard credit or something like that, then I am more than happy to transfer my reservation. It's a win win for us.

 

Duane

[tuggers]

I have done things both ways, researched myself silly and did it all 'my way' or called the ta and said 'book it'.

 

Now that I have the world's best travel agent I use her. Even without a 'freebie' that everyone seems so interested in, I find the service invaluable. I always get great prices, prompt phone and email returns, someone to fight for me if there's a problem and someone who watches prices and gives me rate reductions like she just did today to the tune of $600!

 

Just Saturday, I was on a cruise that came in hours late causing me to miss my flight and then the next flight. I couldn't find another available flight so I called my ta who jumped on the horn and had me set in minutes even though I had booked my own flight. Now that's service.:D

[ocngypz]

Not even if they pay the big bucks for the cabin up front??? Funny how they're able to advertise what very specific cabin types they have available when they do this (e.g., aft CC cabins) when such cabins can't be found at Celebrity nor through any of the various consortiums. That's why I noted that availability of certain cabin types was on my list.

 

 

Here's a somewhat different question for you, since you're in the business and in a position to provide an answer from the perspective of someone who may have done this before:

 

Couple A puts down a deposit on a cruise with some agency.

 

The couple then decides (before final payment) that they're not going to be able to take the cruise afterall.

 

Couple B hears from Couple A that they plan to cancel, and calls that same agent, and notes that they'd like to take over the cabin that is about to be surrendered by Couple A, and is prepared to plunk down the requisite deposit for it.

 

How difficult is it for the agency to move Couple B's name to Couple A's cabin once Couple A calls to make their cancellation official with the agency?

 

There are a couple of scenarios.

 

If the rate has not changed since the original booking, couple B deposits on the same category and waitlists couple A's cabin. Then couple A is cxl'd. The Couple B clears the waitlist.

However, if there is a prior waitlist for the cabin.... couple B is out of luck.

 

If the cabin is in groups, the agent does a name change. It can get sticky sometimes with groupsw.

 

If the rate has gone up on the cabin, couple b will have to pay the new rate.

[Allis154]

Past experience with them, is the reason that I chose the one I use.

[canderson]

.

However, if there is a prior waitlist for the cabin.... couple B is out of luck.

What if the agent has put up the money for the cabin at release (scenario from previous message)?

 

It was particularly helpful in our case, since there were no other aft CC cabins available on this sailing. A bunch of us here on Cruise Critic seem to have them all (except for two of the three HC cabins) booked.

 

Another question - as you've brought up waitlists: I know that Celebrity doesn't seem to allow a booking to waitlist for more than one cabin. Of course, if you're after any one of a number of like cabins, this can be a problem. The chances of any particular one out of a dozen happening to be the one that opens up are .. well, 1 in 12. Do you think it's because Celebrity's system can only cope with a single cabin number in a waitlist, or is there something else that causes them to do this?

[flashdog_1]

The agent I've used twice now says her agency is a "preferred" agency with Celebrity and Hal and others. what does this mean to me?

 

She SAYS, for instance, that if I book a guarantee, her agency's customers get put at the head of the line for the best upgrades. Is this really possible?

[ocngypz]

The agent I've used twice now says her agency is a "preferred" agency with Celebrity and Hal and others. what does this mean to me?

 

She SAYS, for instance, that if I book a guarantee, her agency's customers get put at the head of the line for the best upgrades. Is this really possible?

 

No.

 

Ask her if she is "star"... and see what she says.

 

Preferred means very little. "Star" is the new elite status for Celebrity. HAL is the Centurion Club.

[ocngypz]

What if the agent has put up the money for the cabin at release (scenario from previous message)?

 

It was particularly helpful in our case, since there were no other aft CC cabins available on this sailing. A bunch of us here on Cruise Critic seem to have them all (except for two of the three HC cabins) booked.

 

Another question - as you've brought up waitlists: I know that Celebrity doesn't seem to allow a booking to waitlist for more than one cabin. Of course, if you're after any one of a number of like cabins, this can be a problem. The chances of any particular one out of a dozen happening to be the one that opens up are .. well, 1 in 12. Do you think it's because Celebrity's system can only cope with a single cabin number in a waitlist, or is there something else that causes them to do this?

 

 

One per customer.. that way more customers can be accommodated is the general rule.

 

First question. If there is money already on the cabin, and finals are due... you do everything you can not to cancel the cabin and refund money without a new deposit and names in your fist. If you cancelled the original booking, refunded the money.. the cabin goes back into general inventory. It does not stay in the group. When I have a group booking which needs to be cancelled and there is a big price difference, I try to resell that cabin PDQ so as not to lose it.

[negc]

I like to book the cruise myself. I've used travel agents and haven't used them. Don't take this the wrong way, but I don't see the value in using one for a "normal" cruise. Now if I was going on something more complicated then maybe.

 

Last time I used and agent, I got frustrated that everytime I wanted something or wanted to request something, I couldn't call Celebrity, I had to call the agent who called Celebrity. They were nice, but didn't add any value.

 

I usually see if an agent wants to take over my reservation once I have made it. If they can beat the price or give me a little something back in onboard credit or something like that, then I am more than happy to transfer my reservation. It's a win win for us.

 

Duane

 

A "normal" cruise can quickly become something other than "normal" if some sort of problem arises, and then the TA's knowledge of who to contact can come in quite handy. Sure, if you don't use a TA, you can call Celebrity on your own and speak to whichever customer service representative answers the phone. Take it from me, not all customer service representatives are created equal. If you get an unsatisfactory response to you query, do you know where to go next to get a satisfactory resolution to your question or problem? If the original customer service representative promises you something but doesn't follow through on that promise, can you get hold of him or her again, or know who to talk to about the unfulfilled promise?

Sometimes the TA can answer your question directly thus eliminating the chore of calling the cruiseline. Chances are your "normal" cruise will remain "normal" but if it doesn't, that is when you may benefit from having a TA. Low prices and extra bennies can be nice but there is more to a good relationship with a good TA than his or her ability to offer those to you.