Finding a TA

[kat_merle]

I am not asking anyone to break the rules so no naming agencies or agents. 

 

I am looking for suggestions on what to look for or really just where to start in finding a TA.  I have booked a few cruises on my own and 1 with an agent.  I also have booked Disney trips with TA.  The TA on the Disney trips absolutely made the trip a lot smoother for me but my experience with the TA booking my cruise was definitely not magical. 

 

The biggest issue I have with finding or using a TA is I work nights so when they are open and working, I am sleeping.  That is also what makes booking on my own less appealing as when issues come up and I need to be on the phone with customer service I am losing valuable sleep before work. 

 

How do I find someone fabulous?  Happy to dig through google and all of that but when I booked my first cruise with a TA I basically threw a dart at google results because I have no idea where to even start to find someone that will work well for me.

[Host Kat]

6 minutes ago, kat_merle said:

I am not asking anyone to break the rules so no naming agencies or agents. 

 

I am looking for suggestions on what to look for or really just where to start in finding a TA.  I have booked a few cruises on my own and 1 with an agent.  I also have booked Disney trips with TA.  The TA on the Disney trips absolutely made the trip a lot smoother for me but my experience with the TA booking my cruise was definitely not magical. 

 

The biggest issue I have with finding or using a TA is I work nights so when they are open and working, I am sleeping.  That is also what makes booking on my own less appealing as when issues come up and I need to be on the phone with customer service I am losing valuable sleep before work. 

 

How do I find someone fabulous?  Happy to dig through google and all of that but when I booked my first cruise with a TA I basically threw a dart at google results because I have no idea where to even start to find someone that will work well for me.

 

Perhaps something in the following oldie but goodie Cruise Critic articles will be helpful:

Finding a Cruise Travel Agent

What to Expect on a Cruise: Booking a Cruise With a Travel Agent

What to Expect on a Cruise: Booking With a Cruise Line

Secret Agent Deals: How to Find Prices Cruise Lines Don't Offer

How to Save Money on Your Next Cruise

[kat_merle]

Thank you!  I tried searching the boards but hadn't even thought to search the articles.

 

[LHT28]

I email my TA  so she will email  back  when she is available

She is on the west coast  so a different time zone from us

it has worked  fine  for me

 

Just let the  agency know  you are a shift worker  & do not call   just connect  via emails

[Heidi13]

10 hours ago, kat_merle said:

I am not asking anyone to break the rules so no naming agencies or agents. 

 

I am looking for suggestions on what to look for or really just where to start in finding a TA.  I have booked a few cruises on my own and 1 with an agent.  I also have booked Disney trips with TA.  The TA on the Disney trips absolutely made the trip a lot smoother for me but my experience with the TA booking my cruise was definitely not magical. 

 

The biggest issue I have with finding or using a TA is I work nights so when they are open and working, I am sleeping.  That is also what makes booking on my own less appealing as when issues come up and I need to be on the phone with customer service I am losing valuable sleep before work. 

 

How do I find someone fabulous?  Happy to dig through google and all of that but when I booked my first cruise with a TA I basically threw a dart at google results because I have no idea where to even start to find someone that will work well for me.

 

As with the purchase/procurement of any service or product, I'll suggest the first step is knowing what you want from a TA. Do you just want lowest price/max credit, or do you want a full service TA. This will significantly impact the type of TA that is a good fit. I develop my Statement of Requirements (SoR) with points that are critical and then others that are nice to have.

 

Once I know what I want, finding a TA is no different than hiring employees. I interview local TA's by walking to various offices and others by zoom, etc. In addition to meeting your specific requirement, the TA also has to be a good personal fit.

 

 

[YourWorldWithBill]

Whatever you do, it's often a roll of the dice. I've done a lot of research, and changed agencies after each of my last three cruises. And I suspect that I'm probably easy to work with, as I do a lot of the planning myself. I think the one I'm using now is a good fit, but on these boards I always see messages about how great their agents are (was well as messages by those unhappy with their agents).

 

I wish I could tell you, as the one I use has a bit staff and is open at night, although I don't need that. 

[drsel]

The giant online Travel agents earn 10-16% commission only on the commissionable basic Cruise fare, excluding port fees and taxes.

The exact amount depends on their volumes.

 

They usually give the customer 6 to 10% of this commission as a discount or onboard credit.

10% discount or onboard credit would be given to customers booking the most expensive cabins while 6% would be for an inside cabin.

 

So I recommend a travel agent who will give you 6 to 10% discount or on board credit out of the commission received as well as provide free cancellation and free changes to your Cruise

[shipgeeks]

For years we have used a giant, online agency.  I had browsed several of them, usually via pop-up ads, and found that I really liked their website, so decided to give them our business. They are in another state, but when I find a cruise I want to pursue, I email "our" agent, he calls me back with a potential cabin, and we finalize a booking if we are ready to do so.  It has been very easy, and they have been very reliable.  No hidden traps or schemes.

I have to say, though, that we know what we want when we book, having studied all the TA listings re itinerary, prices, cabins, etc.  Others might need more guidance about ports, ships, regulations, etc.

[donaldsc]

We found ours through a friend who lives for cruising.  It has been a good fit and we have used first her father and now her for years.  Word-of-mouth from a person who has a big time cruiser is a great way to go if you know someone like that, 

 

DON

[mnocket]

OK, I'm probably going to trigger a lot of strong opposition, but here's where I've landed on the question TAs.

 

Wouldn't it be wonderful if there really were TAs who offered deep discounts while also providing knowledgeable, responsive, bespoke service.  I frequently see posters claim they have a TA that provides such service along with a 10% discount.  My conclusion is that they are exaggerating at best. It's like the old saying about high quality, low cost & timeliness - you can have any 2, but not all 3. 

 

Should people really be surprised that when it comes to travel agents, you get what you pay for?  A high discount TA simply can't afford to spend a lot of time servicing the individual needs of clients.  They need high volume to make their low fees possible.  These high discount TAs tend to be more order takers than what we think of as traditional travel agents.  In many cases they are more like call center workers than travel agents. So, is this bad?  It depends on what you want & need.  If you do all your own research and know exactly what you want, and are willing to forfeit your ability to deal directly with the cruise line in exchange for a steep discount, then one of these discount, high volume TAs may be right for you.  In such circumstances I tend to consider one of the big box TAs

 

Now if you want a TA who's knowledgeable, willing to take the time to curate your travel arrangements to your specific needs and (this is a big one to many people) willing to spend hours on hold and working with the cruise lines to resolve issues, then it's simply not realistic to expect that they are going to be willing to take a big cut in their commission in order to offer you a large discount.  A little extra OBC? A dinning credit? A boarding gift in your cabin?  Sure, but don't expect a 10% discount. 

 

Finally, when it comes to finding a TA... It's easy to find a moderate discount TA - just go to a big box TA.  High discount TAs are even easier - just one of those websites where multiple TAs compete for your business.  Now a full-service TA?  That's a different story. I've found it really hard, neigh impossible so far, to find a TA who is really knowledgeable about a particular cruise line and able to guide me through all the booking decisions.  I'm sure they exist.  There are TAs who specialize in certain cruise lines and are frequent cruisers themselves.  When I'm trying a new cruise line for the first time, I'd really like to find a TA who specializes in that line.  The problem I've found is that most claim a familiarity with specific cruise lines that they really don't have.  The best way to find such a TA is by a referral from another cruiser.  This wouldn't be so difficult if I was sailing on that cruise line, but I'm not - I've never sailed on that particular line.  So it's pretty much a matter of searching the web for someone who appears to fit the ticket.  A very hit-or-miss proposition. 

 

One last thing.  I'm sure there are a few unicorns out there - full service TAs who know you and what appeals to you.  Who have access to group rates and are willing to match those opportunities to your desires.  They can, in fact, occasionally offer you full service along with great rates.  I'd love to find one of these, but they are as rare as unicorns🙂

[Mike981]

11 hours ago, drsel said:

The giant online Travel agents earn 10-16% commission only on the commissionable basic Cruise fare, excluding port fees and taxes.

The exact amount depends on their volumes.

 

They usually give the customer 6 to 10% of this commission as a discount or onboard credit.

10% discount or onboard credit would be given to customers booking the most expensive cabins while 6% would be for an inside cabin.

 

So I recommend a travel agent who will give you 6 to 10% discount or on board credit out of the commission received as well as provide free cancellation and free changes to your Cruise

 

I've never thought about it this way.

 

1 hour ago, mnocket said:

OK, I'm probably going to trigger a lot of strong opposition, but here's where I've landed on the question TAs.

 

Wouldn't it be wonderful if there really were TAs who offered deep discounts while also providing knowledgeable, responsive, bespoke service.  I frequently see posters claim they have a TA that provides such service along with a 10% discount.  My conclusion is that they are exaggerating at best. It's like the old saying about high quality, low cost & timeliness - you can have any 2, but not all 3. 

 

Should people really be surprised that when it comes to travel agents, you get what you pay for?  A high discount TA simply can't afford to spend a lot of time servicing the individual needs of clients.  They need high volume to make their low fees possible.  These high discount TAs tend to be more order takers than what we think of as traditional travel agents.  In many cases they are more like call center workers than travel agents. So, is this bad?  It depends on what you want & need.  If you do all your own research and know exactly what you want, and are willing to forfeit your ability to deal directly with the cruise line in exchange for a steep discount, then one of these discount, high volume TAs may be right for you.  In such circumstances I tend to consider one of the big box TAs

 

Now if you want a TA who's knowledgeable, willing to take the time to curate your travel arrangements to your specific needs and (this is a big one to many people) willing to spend hours on hold and working with the cruise lines to resolve issues, then it's simply not realistic to expect that they are going to be willing to take a big cut in their commission in order to offer you a large discount.  A little extra OBC? A dinning credit? A boarding gift in your cabin?  Sure, but don't expect a 10% discount. 

 

Finally, when it comes to finding a TA... It's easy to find a moderate discount TA - just go to a big box TA.  High discount TAs are even easier - just one of those websites where multiple TAs compete for your business.  Now a full-service TA?  That's a different story. I've found it really hard, neigh impossible so far, to find a TA who is really knowledgeable about a particular cruise line and able to guide me through all the booking decisions.  I'm sure they exist.  There are TAs who specialize in certain cruise lines and are frequent cruisers themselves.  When I'm trying a new cruise line for the first time, I'd really like to find a TA who specializes in that line.  The problem I've found is that most claim a familiarity with specific cruise lines that they really don't have.  The best way to find such a TA is by a referral from another cruiser.  This wouldn't be so difficult if I was sailing on that cruise line, but I'm not - I've never sailed on that particular line.  So it's pretty much a matter of searching the web for someone who appears to fit the ticket.  A very hit-or-miss proposition. 

 

One last thing.  I'm sure there are a few unicorns out there - full service TAs who know you and what appeals to you.  Who have access to group rates and are willing to match those opportunities to your desires.  They can, in fact, occasionally offer you full service along with great rates.  I'd love to find one of these, but they are as rare as unicorns🙂

 

I am also looking for that unicorn. For me; in today's world when things can go sideways in an hour, I need more help than I did in the past. For my next trip I am doing it solo, but I plan to connect with someone at Celebrity to at least have a contact person.

 

My how travel has changed over a few short years.

[drsel]

29 minutes ago, Mike981 said:

I've never thought about it this way.

I am also looking for that unicorn. For me; in today's world when things can go sideways in an hour, I need more help than I did in the past. For my next trip I am doing it solo, but I plan to connect with someone at Celebrity to at least have a contact person.

If you want a high discount travel agent or you want to use the bidding site to find one, then you have to be sure which particular cruise and cabin you want.

You can't just say

"I want a Mediterranean Cruise, which one do you recommend?"

because there are hundreds to choose from.

 

Even the choice of cabin is your personal decision, the agent cannot decide for you.

 

However there is a website which ranks the Cruises according to price per day including port fees and taxes. 

 

If you book through a travel agent then the cruise line has to pay that agent 10 to 16% of the commissionable base fare.

In which case, the cruise line representative will not help you .

you have to talk with the travel agent only

 

Edited July 15, 2023 by drsel

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, drsel said:

 

 

If you book through a travel agent then the cruise line has to pay that agent 10 to 16% of the commissionable base fare.

In which case, the cruise line representative will not help you .

you have to talk with the travel agent only

 

That is an exaggeration. There are a lot of things they will talk about with you, for instance they will sell you excursions. They will answer some questions.

 

There are things you do have to go through the TA, such as upgrading or making payments or pretty much any changes.

[YourWorldWithBill]

It also depends on the cruise line. I've found some lines much more open to talk with me about many things, with the exception of - as @onthewebsaid - payment issues. Staff at some lines seem to be more eager to push everything back to the agent, whereas some lines just have staff who come across as more helpful and friendlier. 

[ontheweb]

11 hours ago, YourWorldWithBill said:

It also depends on the cruise line. I've found some lines much more open to talk with me about many things, with the exception of - as @onthewebsaid - payment issues. Staff at some lines seem to be more eager to push everything back to the agent, whereas some lines just have staff who come across as more helpful and friendlier. 

I just called NCL this morning, and a very friendly, knowledgeable rep spoke with me. I asked about booking show tickets (for the Donna Summer show on the Prima). I said early tickets, and he asked which date. I said any, but gave our #1 choice which turned out to not have early availability. He then came up with a suitable date with early availability. He then double checked my e-mail address in order to send confirmation, which he actually sent twice.

 

When you call NCL, they have you press #1 if you are a trvel agent partner or ONE OF THE VALUED GUESTS USING A TRAVEL AGENT.

[lenquixote66]

The only time that I had great results working directly with a cruise line was several years ago when I happened to call and was connected to a guy who had the last surname as me . My name is not common and on occasion if I happen to meet someone or talk by phone to someone and find out that we share a name it has always turned out that we were related.

[Mike981]

22 hours ago, drsel said:

If you want a high discount travel agent or you want to use the bidding site to find one, then you have to be sure which particular cruise and cabin you want.

You can't just say

"I want a Mediterranean Cruise, which one do you recommend?"

because there are hundreds to choose from.

 

Even the choice of cabin is your personal decision, the agent cannot decide for you.

 

However there is a website which ranks the Cruises according to price per day including port fees and taxes. 

 

If you book through a travel agent then the cruise line has to pay that agent 10 to 16% of the commissionable base fare.

In which case, the cruise line representative will not help you .

you have to talk with the travel agent only

 

 

Thank you again, much appreciated.

[drsel]

33 minutes ago, Mike981 said:

 

Thank you again, much appreciated.

Cruiseplum is not a travel agent but it's a good site to rank Cruises by price per night,  including port fees and taxes and gratuity.

 

They have a lot of filters and customisations.

You can choose the date, month, cabin category, region, starting and/or ending port, cruise line, ship, etc

Once you decided all your custom filters and personalisations, you will get the price per night ( including all port fees, taxes and gratuity) and you will notice that there are huge differences.

 

If you don't have any preferences then you can just rank ALL cruises by price per night.

Even that will work well.

Cruiseplum is not a travel agent and doesn't try to sell you any cruises, so it can be named 

Edited July 16, 2023 by drsel

[YourWorldWithBill]

12 minutes ago, drsel said:

Cruiseplum is not a travel agent but it's a good site to rank Cruises by price per night,  including port fees and taxes and gratuity.

When I checked out Cruiseplum, I found that it does not include many cruise lines. Do you know of another comparable site?

[drsel]

26 minutes ago, YourWorldWithBill said:

When I checked out Cruiseplum, I found that it does not include many cruise lines. Do you know of another comparable site?

Yes, but it's a  travel agent

You will have to search on Google because we cannot name it.

It lists almost all the cruise lines including the very expensive ones. It has the option of price per night, but without port fees and taxes.

 

Another website lists  Cruises by price per night including port fees and taxes.

It also has charts of the price movement and tell you when the price is the lowest.

but there are only 10-11  cruise lines available on this website, Including 8 of the main mass market cruise lines

 

Edited July 16, 2023 by drsel

[Hlitner]

Sorry to confirm to the OP that we are not permitted to recommend specific cruise/travel agencies on CC.  When I meet folks on our many cruises, if they ask, we will give them a few different agencies and agent.  But anyone should conduct their own due diligence and make an attempt to check-out any agency via the Internet (look for negative and/or positive reviews, check with the BBB, etc).  We have long suggested that folks shop around among reputable high volume agencies that have been around for a few years.  Read their history, FAQs, and all the policy info regarding how they operate, whether they charge fees, etc.

 

As far as dealing with agents, we do have our current favorite and mostly deal with her via e-mail.  When I need to talk on the phone that is also possible.  This favorite agent has some real agent credientials/certificates from ASTA and CLIA...and she knows the industry.  Many agents have no clue and are simply order takers...and those we avoid.  I also tease our favorites (we primarily use two agencies) that my loyalty to them is only as good as the last booking.  While we do not necessarily expect the best deal on earth, we do expect one of the better deals in terms of On Board Credits, pre-paid grats, etc.  Since we book longer more exotic cruises these extra perks can amount to thousands of dollars on a single booking...  money that we would not get if we booked directly with the cruise line.  As a general rule, getting 7-10% of the cruise price in extras (On Board Credits, tips, etc) is what we expect (and get) on most mass market lines.  Luxury lines are somewhat different.

 

And finally I would suggest looking for agencies that are part of travel consortiums (large industry buying groups).  The big consortiums have more clout with the cruise lines and can often pass along perks that come from their consortium.  I will not go into a lot of detail but you can Google something like :"What is a Travel Consortia"  and learn more about these organizations.  

 

Hank

[caribe123]

Use a local TA. You live in the same town. Local TA more likely to find you the best deal

[Toofarfromthesea]

34 minutes ago, caribe123 said:

Use a local TA. You live in the same town. Local TA more likely to find you the best deal

 

But is a local TA likely to have the level of expertise in cruising?

[caribe123]

I guess it all about preferences. I would

prefer to use a local TA, but others may prefer large faceless agencies. 

[ontheweb]

7 hours ago, caribe123 said:

I guess it all about preferences. I would

prefer to use a local TA, but others may prefer large faceless agencies. 

We have been basically using the same TA who is the President of his agency. And no, I do not know what his face looks like, but I do think I know him. And he knows who I am when I call.

 

There was one cruise where my DW found an incredible price from one of the large faceless agencies. I went back to our regular TA, and he could not match it as he said they must have bought a lot of cabins and the cruise line would not let him. We took that deal, but I did not like that when I called I was just a number and always dealt with different people. We went back to our regualr agent after that. he was grateful and did say he understood why we could not really turn down the other agency's deal on the previous cruise.