Thoughts On Booking An AOV Sailing Question...

[Bo1953]

Hello all - I Am not looking for any specifics in terms of names and etc...

 

I Am wanting to  find out how most fellow passengers here prefer booking their sailings for AOV.

 

I did sign up for information from AOV's website and requested contact through email and you know what happened next, lots of calls from a TA (which I did not answer/take). And of course, the emails the TA sent made it urgent to book right away for various reasons that at this juncture does not matter to me as I have yet to decide which sailing I want and a few questions for them before placing the deposit.

 

Ultimately, booking direct or using their 'assigned' TA, will using my own vetted TA possibly yield better overall results in terms of communications, good fare structure different from the brochure and possible "discounted" rates, etc.???

 

With just about most everything 'included' in the fare, just wanting assistance to figure out the best way to book, overall.

 

TIA for your thoughts and input on this

 

bon voyage

[ridethetide]

I booked my recent Antarctica cruise through my own TA and everything was seamless.

[skrink]

I booked through an agency in 2021 and highly recommend it.  Got a great rate plus valuable extra perks not offered by Atlas.  Communication from Atlas back then was abysmal—it was during their rocky first launch—and having someone else chase down details let me focus on more important things.  

 

As with booking any trip with a good agency, a TA will secure all discounts to which you’re entitled (military, first responders, past customer, etc.), buffer you from frustrations, and be a point person when issues arise before and during the trip.  Booking through tour operators—whether Atlas or not—sometimes means talking to a different person every time an issue needs resolving.  I highly recommend booking through an agency.

[mnocket]

I don't always book with a full-service TA, but I did for my upcoming AOV cruise to Antartica.  The TA I chose was one who posts frequently on FB and is very knowledgeable about AOV.  I didn't get a discount - that wasn't my motivation.  AOV has earned a reputation for abysmal pre-cruise communication.  For that cruise I wanted a TA who had personally done the cruise several times and could provide the type of pre-cruise guidance that AOV fails to deliver.  I'm happy with my decision.  For a different AOV itinerary, I probably would have gone another direction. 

Edited March 20 by mnocket

[Bo1953]

18 minutes ago, mnocket said:

I don't always book with a full-service TA, but I did for my upcoming AOV cruise to Antartica.  The TA I chose was one who posts frequently on FB and is very knowledgeable about AOV.  I didn't get a discount - that wasn't my motivation.  AOV has earned a reputation for abysmal pre-cruise communication.  For that cruise I wanted a TA who had personally done the cruise several times and could provide the type of pre-cruise guidance that AOV fails to deliver.  I'm happy with my decision.  For a different AOV itinerary, I probably would have gone another direction. 

mn Thank you... I Am interested in a Caribbean sailing for our first outing with AOV... 

 

bon voyage

[mnocket]

11 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

mn Thank you... I Am interested in a Caribbean sailing for our first outing with AOV... 

 

bon voyage

For a Caribbean itinerary, I don't really need any hand holding and so I'd probably be inclined to book with discount TA, or if the savings weren't significant I'd book direct. jmho

[BayGirl22]

I don't usually use a TA but I did for Atlas and I would highly advise it. That's just how they are set up to work, let your TA deal with the back office contacting because they don't really enable direct to consumer well. 
When you were contacted was it and Atlas agent or an independent TA? I would go with the latter. Plenty of recommendations from various groups if you need to find one.