Now for something completely different

[ilikeanswers]

Personally I book flight straight through the airline, I have never gotten any better deals with a TA on flights so I never saw the point of using them. It does make you wonder though, with the travel landscape so volatile at the moment is it better to book through a TA or is it better to do it yourself? I suppose if you book yourself, you at least have direct access to the booking for cancelling and changing on the other hand I have heard a good TA can be better for organising refunds for cruise and tour companies🤔.

Edited August 19, 2020 by ilikeanswers

[possum52]

The only times we have used TAs have been for our first couple of cruises and for flights before airlines were on line. It's much easier to book yourself for both cruises and flights. 

 

Leigh

[NSWP]

3 minutes ago, possum52 said:

The only times we have used TAs have been for our first couple of cruises and for flights before airlines were on line. It's much easier to book yourself for both cruises and flights. 

 

Leigh

Agree, we always booked our own flights, cruises, hotels direct. Save that 10 to 15% commission. My son in the trade, calls me the high street travel agents worst nightmare, I am not alone.

Edited August 19, 2020 by NSWP

[possum52]

12 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Agree, we always booked our own flights, cruises, hotels direct. Save that 10 to 15% commission. My son in the trade, calls me the high street travel agents worst nightmare, I am not alone.

I hope your son is surviving Les. Must be very difficult for him. My cousin’s son has a Hello ..... TA and has no bookings at all. I think being in Victoria is probably more difficult for him as well. 
 

Leigh

[OzKiwiJJ]

We do almost all of our own bookings for travel. The most complicated I ever did was our seven week 2013 Ireland and UK trip. Flights, 30 accommodation bookings, trains, ferry from Dublin, rental cars, and a few prebooked sightseeing things. That was a big trip indeed.

[OzKiwiJJ]

I have used a TA for some cruises, ie last minute ones where there was an exceptionally good deal.

Edited August 19, 2020 by OzKiwiJJ

[NSWP]

1 hour ago, possum52 said:

I hope your son is surviving Les. Must be very difficult for him. My cousin’s son has a Hello ..... TA and has no bookings at all. I think being in Victoria is probably more difficult for him as well. 
 

Leigh

Thanks Leigh, no he is really struggling, put off 80 staff, as he has offices in Australia, Sydney, Melbourne, Mooloolaba in Qld,, Nz, Auckland, London, USA, Berlin and a few in South and Central America, plus owns 2 hotels in Lima and Cusco, Peru. Antarctic charter season cancelled too. A disaster for us. We might survive another year or two hopefully, before it comes good. . All the best.

Edited August 19, 2020 by NSWP

[Aus Traveller]

1 hour ago, ilikeanswers said:

Personally I book flight straight through the airline, I have never gotten any better deals with a TA on flights so I never saw the point of using them. It does make you wonder though, with the travel landscape so volatile at the moment is it better to book through a TA or is it better to do it yourself? I suppose if you book yourself, you at least have direct access to the booking for cancelling and changing on the other hand I have heard a good TA can be better for organising refunds for cruise and tour companies🤔.

There are times when booking through a TA works well. I went on an Antarctic cruise from Ushuaia not too long ago. The trip involved a flight from B'ne to Santiago, then to Buenos Aires. I was not able to book the flight combination I wanted but the TA was, at a slight discount.

 

For my segment of the World Cruise this year (BTW, the trip was fantastic!) I booked the QANTAS flights I wanted (B'ne - Heathrow, and NYC - B'ne) through Princess EZair and saved $770 compared with booking direct with the airline. It worked out well in another way - Princess refunded the amount in full but if I had booked directly with QANTAS, I would have received a credit for flights that I may not be 'young' enough to take by the time overseas travel is open again.

[NSWP]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

We do almost all of our own bookings for travel. The most complicated I ever did was our seven week 2013 Ireland and UK trip. Flights, 30 accommodation bookings, trains, ferry from Dublin, rental cars, and a few prebooked sightseeing things. That was a big trip indeed.

Done a couple like that, great fun, but a worry at times. We have had a few 3 month adventures. Cruises and land travel.

Edited August 19, 2020 by NSWP

[Docker123]

I have booked my cruises through the same ta just down the road. An associate of the Captain. Typically research on line for fares, cabins etc and sit down with her and negotiate it out. Have always had better prices and obc come up that way.

 

Also get invited to their parties and promos and get little gifts. Even had a really enjoyable presentation by the Chimu people at one of these, with nice Chilean reds to take home.

 

most flights I organise myself, airline direct.  Sometimes the more complicated ones (daughter and I heading to various stops in Europe to meet wife and son in US with various more stops) have required ta knowledge.

 

[NSWP]

7 minutes ago, Docker123 said:

I have booked my cruises through the same ta just down the road. An associate of the Captain. Typically research on line for fares, cabins etc and sit down with her and negotiate it out. Have always had better prices and obc come up that way.

 

Also get invited to their parties and promos and get little gifts. Even had a really enjoyable presentation by the Chimu people at one of these, with nice Chilean reds to take home.

 

most flights I organise myself, airline direct.  Sometimes the more complicated ones (daughter and I heading to various stops in Europe to meet wife and son in US with various more stops) have required ta knowledge.

 

There are some decent travel agents, like you have Adrian, hang onto them. Good on you for mentioning  Chimu, makes us happy. My son worked his guts out for 15 yrs to get where we are. Yes the Captain sells our trips. Promos to agents are all part of it.

Edited August 19, 2020 by NSWP

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, Aus Traveller said:

 

 

For my segment of the World Cruise this year (BTW, the trip was fantastic!) I booked the QANTAS flights I wanted (B'ne - Heathrow, and NYC - B'ne) through Princess EZair and saved $770 compared with booking direct with the airline. It worked out well in another way - Princess refunded the amount in full but if I had booked directly with QANTAS, I would have received a credit for flights that I may not be 'young' enough to take by the time overseas travel is open again.

I've got a Pacific Princess Sydney to Yokohama cruise booked for April next year. I was able to book business class fares home on China Airlines at a unbelievably cheap rate through EZair. No extra payment required until final payment and if the cruise gets cancelled I won't have any hassles trying to get airline refunds.

[Docker123]

1 hour ago, NSWP said:

There are some decent travel agents, like you have Adrian, hang onto them. Good on you for mentioning  Chimu, makes us happy. My son worked his guts out for 15 yrs to get where we are. Yes the Captain sells our trips. Promos to agents are all part of it.

the presenter was extremely complimentary about your son.

 

[MMDown Under]

11 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

We do almost all of our own bookings for travel. The most complicated I ever did was our seven week 2013 Ireland and UK trip. Flights, 30 accommodation bookings, trains, ferry from Dublin, rental cars, and a few prebooked sightseeing things. That was a big trip indeed.

I arrange all my travel and book direct.  The most complicated was the year we travelled in Europe, UK and America.  This involved a number of house swaps, hospitality, accommodation booking as we went, plus car lease, car hire, etc.  It was a trip of a lifetime, when the children were young enough to be pulled out of school for a year.

[possum52]

15 hours ago, NSWP said:

Thanks Leigh, no he is really struggling, put off 80 staff, as he has offices in Australia, Sydney, Melbourne, Mooloolaba in Qld,, Nz, Auckland, London, USA, Berlin and a few in South and Central America, plus owns 2 hotels in Lima and Cusco, Peru. Antarctic charter season cancelled too. A disaster for us. We might survive another year or two hopefully, before it comes good. . All the best.

Les, I'm sorry to hear about your family businesses. Fingers crossed this virus can be brought under control at some time not too distant. I'm sure your son is distressed at having to put off so many staff, it wouldn't be easy.

 

Leigh

[NSWP]

39 minutes ago, possum52 said:

Les, I'm sorry to hear about your family businesses. Fingers crossed this virus can be brought under control at some time not too distant. I'm sure your son is distressed at having to put off so many staff, it wouldn't be easy.

 

Leigh

Thanks Leigh, have to work hard if and when Covid winds down. But Antarctica and Latin America are closed for business.

[NSWP]

14 hours ago, Docker123 said:

the presenter was extremely complimentary about your son.

 

Nice to hear that Adrian, will pass it on.  Most of the staff are on job keeper now, the loyal ones of which there are many.

[Blackduck59]

Well I heard from the TA today, The guy we dealt with is laid off and they only have 2 people answering the phone for 4 offices. She asked for some time to get some answers so I'll give her a week.

I really don't like the cancellation fees by the airlines. I can understand if you cancel a week out but 5 monthes out? They can't sell the best seats in premium economy in 5 monthes? I mean really, you pay in full almost a year in advance and then they want to charge an $800,00 cancellation fee? I'm thinking that would put most people off from booking with that Airline again.

Edited August 20, 2020 by Blackduck59

[ilikeanswers]

23 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

I really don't like the cancellation fees by the airlines. I can understand if you cancel a week out but 5 monthes out? They can't sell the best seats in premium economy in 5 monthes? I mean really, you pay in full almost a year in advance and then they want to charge an $800,00 cancellation fee? I'm thinking that would put most people off from booking with that Airline again.

 

Are you sure the cancellation fee is from the airline and not the TA? In Australia people found they had to pay cancellation fees for flights if booked via TA whereas those who booked direct had the fees waived. 

[Blackduck59]

Just now, ilikeanswers said:

 

Are you sure the cancellation fee is from the airline and not the TA? In Australia people found they had to pay cancellation fees for flights if booked via TA whereas those who booked direct had the fees waived. 

 The big fee was from the Airline, there was also a smaller $200.00 PP cancellation fee from the TA; that fee has been waived. We have cancel for any reason insurance and may have to make a claim. I'm hoping that Air New Zealand grabs a clue and realizes their cancellation policy is not conducive to ongoing loyalty from their customers.

[The_Big_M]

1 hour ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

Are you sure the cancellation fee is from the airline and not the TA? In Australia people found they had to pay cancellation fees for flights if booked via TA whereas those who booked direct had the fees waived. 

 

That's only where the flight was cancelled/up to their coronavirus cancelaltion period. e.g. in the case of Qantas that's up to October 31 at present.

 

In the same situation as here, with a flight in January next year, if you wanted to cancel that with Qantas you'd also be up for the cancellation  fee (unless it was a fully refundable fare to begin with).

[OzKiwiJJ]

3 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

Well I heard from the TA today, The guy we dealt with is laid off and they only have 2 people answering the phone for 4 offices. She asked for some time to get some answers so I'll give her a week.

I really don't like the cancellation fees by the airlines. I can understand if you cancel a week out but 5 monthes out? They can't sell the best seats in premium economy in 5 monthes? I mean really, you pay in full almost a year in advance and then they want to charge an $800,00 cancellation fee? I'm thinking that would put most people off from booking with that Airline again.

Coukd you hold off cancelling the flights for a bit longer, until the airline includes them in their no fees cancellation period? 

 

That's what I did with our flights to Europe earlier this year.

[Sailaway John]

On 4/12/2020 at 11:24 AM, Blackduck59 said:

Okay, although the current state of cruising is up in the air; I would like to move forward.

I'm looking for local knowledge on the land down under.

I don't want to get specific in the "topic" but will throw out questions within the thread. Also I will be happy to answer any questions you may have about Canada. Keep in mind that like Australia Canada is a vast country and I probably don't know your buddy Bruce in Moose Jaw. But I do have pretty good knowledge of my home Province of BC.

I look forward to gaining local knowledge from you and passing on local knowledge of my part of the world.

First stop Auckland we have 2 days before the cruise what is not to be missed in Auckland?

If you come . Welcome to Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand is a very nice place to visit. Have been there a number of times. But you will need a lot of time to truly do a good visit.

[Blackduck59]

9 hours ago, Sailaway John said:

If you come . Welcome to Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand is a very nice place to visit. Have been there a number of times. But you will need a lot of time to truly do a good visit.

 

I see you discovered my little thread. We are coming in January 2022, we just rescheduled. The New Zealand leg of our adventure will be a 14 night cruise (11 in New Zealand) starting in Auckland where we arrive 2 days before the cruise. Then we will be doing a self drive starting in Sydney and driving the coastal route towards Melbourne.

[Blackduck59]

Watching Mighty Trains, Indian Pacific edition. That may be something to look at foe our next trip to Oz. And I think there will probably be a a second visit to New Zealand for a land trip next time. We will have to see what the budget looks like after we retire.