Travel Agent or Not?

[ltp579]

I've booked our first cruise directly with the cruise line but I've since seen a lot about using travel agents for cruises and I'm wondering if I should switch my reservation over. I'm just not sure what a travel agent could do for us. For context, my reservation is for two rooms on NCL Getaway in the Haven, a 2 bedroom family villa and a courtyard penthouse that are next to each other. My parents are joining us during my children's spring break. Because it's spring break and I'm traveling with kids, we're not very flexible on dates. We're also not flexible on room type. We already have the free at sea package through NCL. I guess I don't know what a travel agent would help with at this point but it is our first cruise. Any thoughts on if it's still worth trying to switch my booking over to a travel agent?

[GeezerCouple]

8 minutes ago, ltp579 said:

I've booked our first cruise directly with the cruise line but I've since seen a lot about using travel agents for cruises and I'm wondering if I should switch my reservation over. I'm just not sure what a travel agent could do for us. For context, my reservation is for two rooms on NCL Getaway in the Haven, a 2 bedroom family villa and a courtyard penthouse that are next to each other. My parents are joining us during my children's spring break. Because it's spring break and I'm traveling with kids, we're not very flexible on dates. We're also not flexible on room type. We already have the free at sea package through NCL. I guess I don't know what a travel agent would help with at this point but it is our first cruise. Any thoughts on if it's still worth trying to switch my booking over to a travel agent?

 

Welcome to CruiseCritic!

 

When did you book that cruise?

NCL has a deadline for transferring a reservation booked directly with them, to move it to a travel agent.  It used to be 60 days, and I think they changed it to 30 days.

 

What the "value" is to book with a TA vs. a cruise line can vary.  There isn't any single answer to that question.

 

GC

[SPacificbound]

You will likely get lots of replies of what cruisers get from their TA. What no one is allowed to do is name or recommend a TA.

 

I am one who prefers to make my own reservations, and control my own booking.

 

If you turn your booking over to a TA, from that point on you cannot deal with the cruise line company at all, they will only speak with the TA. Example could be, you notice a price drop but it's a weekend and the TA is closed. You would not be able to act on that, you would need to wait for the TA. Literally everything has to go through the TA.

 

How you choose to book is your choice.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic!  🙂

 

[sanger727]

If you were in a 600 cabin on carnival. A TA could probably do nothing at this point. But with your room type you could get some pretty substantial booking benefits from a TA. They will get a big commission and most will give OBC or gift other services as a thank you for the business.

[bbwex]

An experienced TA can help guide you a bit in making a reservation, in helping you with things ashore, i.e. hotels, etc., before and after the trip, and as someone has said, although they cannot discount the trip, they will likely give you some on board credit (OBC) and that is the same as a discount.  If the TA is not good, they won't be of much value.

[MCC retired]

Your big ticket booking should have earned some nice extra benefits with a good Cruise Specialist TA.

OBC, Specialty Dinners , Tips , etc.

It may be too late to transfer your bookings now .

[ldubs]

Different people like different services and different TAs offer different levels of service to meet those needs.  We don't use a TA for planning or hand holding.  We use them for the savings compared to booking directly.