Using a Travel Agent?

[ZsaZsa2019]

We have been booking our own vacations for years, but we don't do a lot of cruises and it's been a while.  Considering one for March, kind of last minute I know.  I had heard for cruises it might be best to use a travel agent.  I don't have one here locally, do you guys use on line travel agents?  I saw you can't post TA names, but just looking for some guidance.  

 

I'm currently looking at an NCL Cruise, assuming they keep the "free" promo's going for a few days while we can decide.  We are going with another couple.

[CruiserBruce]

This is discussed frequently here. Its all personal preference based upon one's comfort level with the various possible methods of booking. No, booking with a TA is not a must. We have always booked with a TA. Some only book direct with the cruise line.

[ZsaZsa2019]

I did just finally find another post on this topic, and it was helpful.  I think I will continue to book directly with the cruise line (if we decide to go) since I don't have someone I'm comfortable working with.

[tomcherv]

For my cruises, I've always used a TA as well - often times a TA can get a deal within a block of rooms and be able to give you some onboard credit.

 

For my cruise this July, my TA was able to get me a much better rate than I could have myself.

[ontheweb]

Do whatever you are comfortable with. I would not worry about the "free" NCL offers going away anytime soon. And be aware that they use the term free very loosely. For instance the free specialty dining has a cost, tips and that is for the maximum number even if you don't use them all. And the same goes for the free open bar. And the free shore excursions are $50 off the first passenger. And on our NCL cruise this past summer, there were no available excursions at any of their ports that were $50 or less.

[ZsaZsa2019]

We have done NCL before, last was back in 2019 on the Bliss for Alaska.  I believe the "free" offers were the same then, so I think we have the correct expectations.  I'm not sure if we will want/need to upgrade the drinking pkg.  Seems to me there was a limit and I enjoy my wine with dinner.  But that can be figured out.  

[runner15km]

At the top of this page click on Find a Cruise. I use a TA and always get extra OBC. 

[Ashland]

3 hours ago, ZsaZsa2019 said:

I did just finally find another post on this topic, and it was helpful.  I think I will continue to book directly with the cruise line (if we decide to go) since I don't have someone I'm comfortable working with.

I have been booking all my own travel (cruises, flights ,hotels etc.) for years and we travel often. I will continue to. Just my personal choice. 

[donaldsc]

One of the real advantages of using a TA is that when things go wrong and they sometimes will you have someone who is on your side.  They care about your business.  To the cruise companies you are just a number.

 

DON

[John Bull]

I'd always advise newbies to use a cruise specialist T/A  - there's so many useful hints that they can give about differences between cruise lines, the type of cruiser that they attract, pros & cons of sizes of ships, dining options, cabin location, drinks packages etc as well as other matters that are common knowledge to experienced cruisers.

But it sounds like you've done a cruise or two, so no need.

Sometimes there are extra perks / upgrades available from T/As.

Sometimes as @donaldsc has mentioned it's "someone on your side" in the case of any grief with the cruise line, but on the other hand t's an extra cog in the system which can result in misunderstanding and mis-communication.

 

I'll echo every word of @ontheweb's comments about NCL. I see them as nickel-and-diming, particularly their interesting and imaginative interpretation of the word "free" 🙄 which has  put me off cruising with them. 

That said, friends who've cruised NCL have been well-pleased.

Just be wary of your perceptions of value-for-money from NCL 

 

JB 🙂 

Edited January 4 by John Bull

[YourWorldWithBill]

Although I do most of the research and work myself, when I'm ready to book I use a travel agent. As others have said, there are some practical reasons for this.

 

[ldubs]

On 1/3/2024 at 9:04 AM, ZsaZsa2019 said:

I did just finally find another post on this topic, and it was helpful.  I think I will continue to book directly with the cruise line (if we decide to go) since I don't have someone I'm comfortable working with.

 

22 hours ago, Ashland said:

I have been booking all my own travel (cruises, flights ,hotels etc.) for years and we travel often. I will continue to. Just my personal choice. 

 

We booked directly with the cruise lines for years until we found our travel agent.  I fully understand the preference and comfort level associated with going directly to the cruise line. 

 

If you do decide to go, it is an excellent conversation to have with fellow passengers.  

[Roz]

@ontheweb, my advice is to look beyond Viking.  There are lots of river cruise lines out there that have more inclusions than Viking.  Viking spends a lot of money on advertising,  but may not be the best choice for everyone.  

 

Most river cruise lines include one or more excursions at each port. 

 

I recommend taking a close look at Tauck and Uniworld. 

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, Roz said:

@ontheweb, my advice is to look beyond Viking.  There are lots of river cruise lines out there that have more inclusions than Viking.  Viking spends a lot of money on advertising,  but may not be the best choice for everyone.  

 

Most river cruise lines include one or more excursions at each port. 

 

I recommend taking a close look at Tauck and Uniworld. 

Thanks, but a BIG NO for Uniworld. We once (2004?) had a Uniworld cruise booked and paid for and then they chartered it out from under us. 

 

Viking actually sent me 2 identical brochures, each with a card to enter a sweepstakes to win an 8 day river cruise including airfare with the rule only one entry allowed per person. We both filled them out and mailed them. If one of us wins, it makes the choice much easier. 😊

[ontheweb]

On 1/6/2024 at 4:57 AM, Roz said:

@ontheweb, my advice is to look beyond Viking.  There are lots of river cruise lines out there that have more inclusions than Viking.  Viking spends a lot of money on advertising,  but may not be the best choice for everyone.  

 

Most river cruise lines include one or more excursions at each port. 

 

I recommend taking a close look at Tauck and Uniworld. 

And yesterday I received an e-mail from Gate 1 Travel with river cruise offers that look tempting. We have used Gate.1 twice before though not for cruises, an escorted land trip in Central Europe for our 40th anniversary in 2017 and an absolutely fabulous escorted land trip in Peru in 2019 including Machu Picchu. We were impressed with both, but don't really know much about the river cruise ships they use, so will have to do some research.

[ontheweb]

31 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

And yesterday I received an e-mail from Gate 1 Travel with river cruise offers that look tempting. We have used Gate.1 twice before though not for cruises, an escorted land trip in Central Europe for our 40th anniversary in 2017 and an absolutely fabulous escorted land trip in Peru in 2019 including Machu Picchu. We were impressed with both, but don't really know much about the river cruise ships they use, so will have to do some research.

And to sweeten the possibility, the windmills and tulips river cruise we are looking at has an optional excursion one day to Brugge. We missed Brugge on our long ago chartered out river cruise and this past summer when our NCL Prima cruise skipped Brugge due to an extremely low tide. I had worried that museums would have been closed on the Monday we would have been there, but after googling found many art museums open on Mondays that DW would have loved and a French Fry museum, a concept that intrigued me. Our library copy of Fodor's Belgium was sitting on the piano when I had to give DW the bad news I had just received by e-mail from NCL.😒  

[lenquixote66]

On 1/3/2024 at 10:45 AM, ZsaZsa2019 said:

We have been booking our own vacations for years, but we don't do a lot of cruises and it's been a while.  Considering one for March, kind of last minute I know.  I had heard for cruises it might be best to use a travel agent.  I don't have one here locally, do you guys use on line travel agents?  I saw you can't post TA names, but just looking for some guidance.  

 

I'm currently looking at an NCL Cruise, assuming they keep the "free" promo's going for a few days while we can decide.  We are going with another couple.

From our first cruise in 1973 to our last n 2019;we always used a TA with

one exception.I called the cruise line for some info and the person I was talking to had the same first and last name as me.I took it as an omen and booked with him.Even though our surname is not a common one we were not related as far as we knew.

[herbanrenewal]

I book directly with the cruise line because I have had bad luck with PCCs and TAs, and not willing to try again. My problem was when there is a price drop and booked through an agent only the agent can get you the drop. Ive had occasions when I called my agent and told him of price drop and. he didn't deal with it right away and I lost the opportunity for getting money or credit back. On one price drop I missed getting $450 back and a cabin upgrade. If I made reservation directly I can go to NCL directly and get it. Recently I had a b2b and one segment dropped by $350. When I called the agent not only got that reimbursed but checked the other legs of the trip and got $250 back on other part of b2b.

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, herbanrenewal said:

I book directly with the cruise line because I have had bad luck with PCCs and TAs, and not willing to try again. My problem was when there is a price drop and booked through an agent only the agent can get you the drop. Ive had occasions when I called my agent and told him of price drop and. he didn't deal with it right away and I lost the opportunity for getting money or credit back. On one price drop I missed getting $450 back and a cabin upgrade. If I made reservation directly I can go to NCL directly and get it. Recently I had a b2b and one segment dropped by $350. When I called the agent not only got that reimbursed but checked the other legs of the trip and got $250 back on other part of b2b.

Two issues about your post.  When you deal with a PCC you are dealing directly with the cruise line.  The PCCs work for the line and are just reservations clerks with another label,

 

Your experience with a travel agent is the reason why we always say, "shop around for a high volume reputable cruise agency/agent."  All agents and agencies are not alike and they range from awful to fantastic.  The trick is finding a good one :).  You can conduct some due diligence online, but also suggest just chatting with other folks when you are on cruises.  Good recommendations from fellow cruisers is a great way to find the best agents.  The bottom line is that using the right agency will generally save you 7-10% on many cruises.  The savings come from several possible methods including a discounted cruise fare, post cruise rebate, On Board Credits, pre-paid gratuities, etc. And if your cruise agency is a member of a decent consortium there can be other benefits.  On one recent cruise, the consortium kicked-in an additional $1000 OBC (over and above an OBC provided by the cruise agency).  Consortium benefits are a relatively new perk and are not the norm.

 

Hank