Let's talk about travel agents for a moment...

[Stockjock]

As mentioned, booked my first Oceania cruise.  While I sometimes book direct, I used a very experienced travel agent who I haven't used before, as there was an advantage to doing that and I'll leave it at that so as not to run afoul of the CC rules.

Spoke w/her on the phone and she seemed nice, but I thought at one point she was a bit abrupt.  Took about 3 days to apparently do the actual booking.  I asked a question by e-mail, which was apparently ignored.  Perhaps a week later, I asked for a confirmation with a booking number and that too was ignored.

I understand that some of these agents are busy, but is it too much to expect a timely reply to a simple question?  Have you ever experienced this?  Would you not worry about it, or at some point pull the booking from that agent and ask for someone else?

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 minute ago, Stockjock said:

As mentioned, booked my first Oceania cruise.  While I sometimes book direct, I used a very experienced travel agent who I haven't used before, as there was an advantage to doing that and I'll leave it at that so as not to run afoul of the CC rules.

Spoke w/her on the phone and she seemed nice, but I thought at one point she was a bit abrupt.  Took about 3 days to apparently do the actual booking.  I asked a question by e-mail, which was apparently ignored.  Perhaps a week later, I asked for a confirmation with a booking number and that too was ignored.

I understand that some of these agents are busy, but is it too much to expect a timely reply to a simple question?  Have you ever experienced this?  Would you not worry about it, or at some point pull the booking from that agent and ask for someone else?

My travel agent (recently retired) even called me back on Thanksgiving Day when I needed to grab an unusual cabin!  My voice message had said that the next day would be fine, but that's what good service looks like!  They all can't be quite as responsive, but I would not accept delays like you described.

[jeanine]

I would change agents ASAP! Not acceptable behavior!

 

[pinotlover]

Unusual service indeed!

 

In these troubling times, I’d first ensure she didn’t have Covid, or something similar, and not just down and out for a few days. Hopefully, she bounces back.

 

If you’ve experienced good service in the past, I wouldn’t act too hastily right now. I’ve had friends, in the past month, that were vaccinated and boosted, and got really sick for a week or so from the new variant.

[ORV]

54 minutes ago, Stockjock said:

, I used a very experienced travel agent who I haven't used before

I guess since you didn't say more it's hard to tell, but how did you decide on this TA? Was it a recommendation from a friend? Another chatroom? Ignoring an email, or a request would indicate to me that they weren't interested in my business, was either too busy, or too lazy to do it, or had some type of emergency where they couldn't respond. 

 

From my experience I get a confirmation as soon as I say let's do it,  and generally a hold is placed while I'm thinking about it. Once money is actually on the table I get another confirmation showing that. Anytime there is any type of change at all I get a new invoice showing that. It's not uncommon, depending on how long in advance I make a booking, to have between 3-8 invoices during the life of a booking. 

Edited June 14, 2022 by ORV

[CapeandIslands]

I am going through the same issue now.  I have used a certain agency for all my Oceania cruises.  I recently reached out to my current agent there (I have had a couple because of turn around) about an inaugural cruise on the Queen Anne and never heard back.  I reached out last week and made a follow up call yesterday (it was his day off the answering machine said) about a cruise in 2 weeks on the Queen Mary and an August cruise on the Queen Elizabeth II.  I have not heard anything back.

 

Does anyone have a good TA they could recommend?

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, Stockjock said:

As mentioned, booked my first Oceania cruise.  While I sometimes book direct, I used a very experienced travel agent who I haven't used before, as there was an advantage to doing that and I'll leave it at that so as not to run afoul of the CC rules.

Spoke w/her on the phone and she seemed nice, but I thought at one point she was a bit abrupt.  Took about 3 days to apparently do the actual booking.  I asked a question by e-mail, which was apparently ignored.  Perhaps a week later, I asked for a confirmation with a booking number and that too was ignored.

I understand that some of these agents are busy, but is it too much to expect a timely reply to a simple question?  Have you ever experienced this?  Would you not worry about it, or at some point pull the booking from that agent and ask for someone else?

Wrong agent. Hopefully, lesson learned. Search my extensive posts here on CC regarding how to find a good O-savvy TA.

[njhorseman]

34 minutes ago, CapeandIslands said:

 

Does anyone have a good TA they could recommend?

Cruise Critic rules prohibit naming travel agents.

[Cruisedreamer1]

We just went to see a new travel agent and she wanted to charge us $300 for a consulting fee to book 4 cabins on Royal Caribbean. I'm shocked since basically I can book online without a charge. It seems she is looking only for luxury cruise packages.

[Host Jazzbeau]

11 minutes ago, Cruisedreamer1 said:

We just went to see a new travel agent and she wanted to charge us $300 for a consulting fee to book 4 cabins on Royal Caribbean. I'm shocked since basically I can book online without a charge. It seems she is looking only for luxury cruise packages.

Travel agents charging fees [including cancellation fees] are automatically out of my Rolodex.

[basor]

14 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Travel agents charging fees [including cancellation fees] are automatically out of my Rolodex.

I do not have a problem with a travel agent that has not booked anything for me before (thus an unknown client) charging an upfront fee that is then deducted from my final payment.  Then, in the future, no fee is charged....

[ronrick1943]

Think you should find someone else for your travel needs.  We always get a call back within the same day.  Would never pay a fee—————

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, Cruisedreamer1 said:

We just went to see a new travel agent and she wanted to charge us $300 for a consulting fee to book 4 cabins on Royal Caribbean. I'm shocked since basically I can book online without a charge. It seems she is looking only for luxury cruise packages.

Some TA's charge a fee to do away with the "time wasters" 

Some people shop TA's  then book direct once the agent has done the ground work  but happens more so with land trips IME

[HiFi43]

My TA agent is an Oceania Connoisseur Club Member (Top 20 in North America). If your agent has that title you’ll get exceptional service because she/he can get around many issues you might run into. They  don’t get that title unless they are really good and really experienced with Oceania.

[Stockjock]

1 hour ago, JoePDX said:

No response from an agent is unacceptable.    I have typically used the large agencies for perks they can provide or group rates.   The trade off is you don't usually get assigned an agent after the booking process is complete.  I am OK with that as I don't require hand holding.  However, even with those agencies where their customer service team takes over, I have never had to wait more than a day to get a question answered, a lower rate secured or a cabin switch made, etc.   

 

I have also used a website where agents "compete" for your business.   Through them I have found two agents that likely I wouldn't have found otherwise that provided perks I couldn't get matched anywhere else.   Thus they have handled bookings for me.

 

Joe

I think I found this particular agent in a similar way.  Generally, their reviews were pretty good.  I work for a big Wall Street firm and wouldn't think to leave clients' questions unanswered, unless I never saw them in the first place.

I may just resend the questions/requests with a comment that I hadn't received a reply and see what happens.  If I don't like the vibe, I suppose I could ask for someone else within the same company, or switch to a different TA.

[PhD-iva]

I have booked four or five cruises with my TA. Generally, she’s as responsive as everyone has described here. Lately, she’s not answering my friendly text messages. Been about two weeks now that I haven’t heard from her, so actually I am worried. I haven’t asked her anything urgent, but this is very different behavior from her. I am worried. Soon I will pick up the phone and call ……..

[Jim and Monika]

2 hours ago, HiFi43 said:

My TA agent is an Oceania Connoisseur Club Member (Top 20 in North America). If your agent has that title you’ll get exceptional service because she/he can get around many issues you might run into. They  don’t get that title unless they are really good and really experienced with Oceania.

Where can i find this list? 🙂

[Woofa]

I am not as savvy as many on here but I don't know how easy it is to change TA's after booking.  Short of a real issue, you now have your first cruise booked and it has always been suggested here that if you are not finding the best agent then ask around on your cruise.  Only here on CC are people not allowed to discuss who they use.  My guess is you will get plenty of good advice poolside if you let it be known you are looking.  

[LHT28]

10 minutes ago, Jim and Monika said:

Where can i find this list? 🙂

Google is your friend 😉

 

[LHT28]

54 minutes ago, PhD-iva said:

I have booked four or five cruises with my TA. Generally, she’s as responsive as everyone has described here. Lately, she’s not answering my friendly text messages. Been about two weeks now that I haven’t heard from her, so actually I am worried. I haven’t asked her anything urgent, but this is very different behavior from her. I am worried. Soon I will pick up the phone and call ……..

Maybe they are ill ??

Maybe you will need to contact the agency they work for

[Stockjock]

FWIW, I did hear back from the travel agent tonight and she supplied the invoice and wrote, "Thank you for your patience".

Guess we're good for now, but still, when you have a new customer you want to give them stellar service, not service that's slow or lacking, imo.

[janecambridge]

• We are happy with our agent but because we book through an agent we sometimes have trouble upgrading flights with air miles and/or booking seats.Its frustrating.

[willoL]

@Stockjock I think you've gotten good advice here, but I'll add my 2 cents.

 

For almost all other travel, I book direct. I much prefer controlling all the details of my own trips and having the power to adjust seats, etc.

 

Mostly because of CC--and because luxury lines seemed to discourage direct bookings at the time--I opted to use a travel agent for some (not all) of my cruise bookings. (I'm only about to embark on my fifth voyage, so I'm not a high volume passenger.)

 

The TA I found for my first luxury cruise is old school, an older gentleman, and he tends to reach out ASAP and actually get in touch *more* often than I prefer. (I'm in my 40's, but am kind of like the kids in that I really hate phone calls!) 😁

 

I chose my (local, small shop) TA based upon a list I found (online) of experienced Crystal cruise agents. I don't get the big discounts I've heard about others getting, though there were add-on perks when we sailed with that particular line twice.

 

Then, the 2020 HAL cruise I booked via a huge online agency (circa 2019) at a discounted price got canceled due to the pandemic. It left me very stressed about the refund process with zero communication from the large agency/TA. A discussion with the local TA I'd used previously for Crystal convinced me that I was happier with how he handled that crisis for his customers than the way the high volume agency did with me.

 

I like to save money, but I also like full service more in certain situations. Only you know where you fall on that value spectrum.

 

If your new TA seems to have apologized for this single lapse, I would be inclined to offer a second chance, but only once...

[Sny]

I booked my first O cruise direct and got very lucky to be upgraded , last minute, from PH to Vista suite at a very friendly price.  We shared several private shore excursions with a couple whose TA had handled everything for them.  We got in touch with her and have never looked back.  She has handled hotels, private transfers, cancelations, insurance claims and a load of special requests for us.  The only time we don't get a response from her within 24 hours is when she's on a cruise (she's a cruise specialist and "walks the walk, talks the talk" - she's on a cruise with her family in the Med right now).  Even when she's away, there's an automatic e-mail response, explaining the delay).  I will probably never see her in person; but she has my business as long as we are able to cruise.

[Stockjock]

2 hours ago, willoL said:

@Stockjock I think you've gotten good advice here, but I'll add my 2 cents.

 

For almost all other travel, I book direct. I much prefer controlling all the details of my own trips and having the power to adjust seats, etc.

 

Mostly because of CC--and because luxury lines seemed to discourage direct bookings at the time--I opted to use a travel agent for some (not all) of my cruise bookings. (I'm only about to embark on my fifth voyage, so I'm not a high volume passenger.)

 

The TA I found for my first luxury cruise is old school, an older gentleman, and he tends to reach out ASAP and actually get in touch *more* often than I prefer. (I'm in my 40's, but am kind of like the kids in that I really hate phone calls!) 😁

 

I chose my (local, small shop) TA based upon a list I found (online) of experienced Crystal cruise agents. I don't get the big discounts I've heard about others getting, though there were add-on perks when we sailed with that particular line twice.

 

Then, the 2020 HAL cruise I booked via a huge online agency (circa 2019) at a discounted price got canceled due to the pandemic. It left me very stressed about the refund process with zero communication from the large agency/TA. A discussion with the local TA I'd used previously for Crystal convinced me that I was happier with how he handled that crisis for his customers than the way the high volume agency did with me.

 

I like to save money, but I also like full service more in certain situations. Only you know where you fall on that value spectrum.

 

If your new TA seems to have apologized for this single lapse, I would be inclined to offer a second chance, but only once...

I've booked with and without travel agents.  Typically, it comes down to money.  If they can do something for me, I'm all ears.

I had a really great TA at one of the bigger agencies and she was so good that they promoted her and she trained the others but stopped working directly with clients.  

We book MSC probably more than we should and they are frequently such a nightmare to work with, I would never expect any travel agent to spend the time that I have, which is what it takes to correct their screw-ups.  So with MSC in particular, I always book direct.  Some would say that a TA would save me time, but they are unique in that so much has to go to Italy for approval, and I'm sure they wouldn't want to spend so much time dealing with all of that.

For further on this, one can search for my prior threat MSC Comedy of Errors.

Edited June 15, 2022 by Stockjock