Book with Celebrity or use a Travel Agent

[KiRiMi]

Hi,  we are looking at several cruise options on Celebrity in the next few months.  We haven’t sailed on Celebrity for a few years.  What are your experiences/ recommendations with using a travel agent vs. booking directly with Celebrity?  TIA

[RTShaker]

A lot will depend on how much you want to be in control of your booking.

[Georgia_Peaches]

I always use a TA because they generally offer more OBC than Celebrity and if Celebrity is offering OBC you get that plus the TAs offering. 

Edited September 14 by Georgia_Peaches

[gold1953]

4 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

I always use a TA because they generally offer more OBC than Celebrity and if Celebrity is offering OBC you get that plus the TAs offering. 

The 2 TAs I contacted for the cruise I want next May only offer a small OBC for veranda and up.   Then I lose control  leaving me to their open hours only

[Georgia_Peaches]

8 minutes ago, gold1953 said:

The 2 TAs I contacted for the cruise I want next May only offer a small OBC for veranda and up.   Then I lose control  leaving me to their open hours only

Ahh. Well yes, the amount of OBC offered is directly related to the category booked. In general, pay more, get more. If one has a TA who offers less than 10% of the booking cost, then it’s worth it to look elsewhere. 
 

I’ve never personally had experience with a TA who was only accessible during regular business hours. But clearly folks need to book with whichever means matches their comfort level. 

[JJK2008]

This is one of those hot topics here on CC. Many on here are deeply loyal to their TA and become indignant if someone suggests NOT using a TA. Some prefer to let someone else (TA) do the work for them. Others like the "perks" they get from a TA. It's a personal choice. ALL cruise lines price fix their cruises. A TA cannot give you a lower price on a cruise. There are exceptions such as group rates that a TA can offer that will reduce the price but even group rates are fixed by the cruise line. As an incentive to book with them, TA's will offer OBC, bottle of wine, gratuities, etc. ALL of these "perks" are paid for by the TA coming out of their commission. Keep in mind the TA is the customer of the cruise line, YOU are a customer of the TA. If anything happens (and it does on occasion) you MUST go through the TA to resolve it, the cruise line will not even talk to you. Some TA's are really good and others, not so much. Personally, we have had two very bad experiences with different TA's and as such for many years now, we book directly with the cruise line. We have found the cruise lines VERY accommodating to work with us when we have had issues arise. For us the perks offered are not worth giving up control of the cruise WE are paying for. You have to decide if the perks offered by the TA are worth giving up control of your cruise. Enjoy your cruise.  

[Georgia_Peaches]

8 minutes ago, JJK2008 said:

This is one of those hot topics here on CC. Many on here are deeply loyal to their TA and become indignant if someone suggests NOT using a TA. Some prefer to let someone else (TA) do the work for them. Others like the "perks" they get from a TA. It's a personal choice. ALL cruise lines price fix their cruises. A TA cannot give you a lower price on a cruise. There are exceptions such as group rates that a TA can offer that will reduce the price but even group rates are fixed by the cruise line. As an incentive to book with them, TA's will offer OBC, bottle of wine, gratuities, etc. ALL of these "perks" are paid for by the TA coming out of their commission. Keep in mind the TA is the customer of the cruise line, YOU are a customer of the TA. If anything happens (and it does on occasion) you MUST go through the TA to resolve it, the cruise line will not even talk to you. Some TA's are really good and others, not so much. Personally, we have had two very bad experiences with different TA's and as such for many years now, we book directly with the cruise line. We have found the cruise lines VERY accommodating to work with us when we have had issues arise. For us the perks offered are not worth giving up control of the cruise WE are paying for. You have to decide if the perks offered by the TA are worth giving up control of your cruise. Enjoy your cruise.  

This is perhaps one of the best objective answers out there for use of a TA or not. I agree that past experience has a lot to do with future use of a TA. I find Celebrity customer service to be much more user friendly to those who book direct with them but there are other lines, like MSC for example, that I would NEVER deal with directly. Their customer service is horrible and using a TA is well worth the loss of direct control of the booking. Personal experiences both positive and negative are what makes this such a hot topic. 
 

I will add that while the fares are set by the cruise lines, an OBC offered by a TA is most often refundable thereby resulting in a discounted price after the fact. Assuming one doesn’t spend it on board, that is. 😊. Case in point, we have a cruise booked on Regent and our TA is offering $2500 refundable obc. This is just over 10% of our fare price. Since everything is included in the fare, including business class air fare, we do not anticipate using the obc. The refund of $2500 is a nice ‘discount’ of the original fare. 

[miched]

If you go to a TA make sure that there is more than one person that you can deal with.  I had a great TA and used him for many years.   He was the owner and a had a secretary.   The problem occurred when he had a stroke.   I had about 5 cruises booked with him and had no way to access them.  I would try to contact him and never got any return calls or emails.  He was also a widower.   I didn’t know what happened.   He was going to give the agency to his secretary when he retired but quit about  6 months prior to his stroke and he couldn’t find anyone to take her place.  He recovered enough to give access to another TA and they contacted me and told me about his stroke.  The service wasn’t as good and I was basically stuck with them.  I never booked any new cruises with them.   I changed to a Big Box agency and haven’t had any issues.  I think they give 5% on store credit.  They don’t participate in the move up but I am not interested in paying more for something that isn’t in my budget because it is a “good bargain.”

 

I have kept a few with Celebrity and they didn’t really do anything special and the waiting time to get thru was as bad as it usually is.   The TA deals with that for me.

 

Another thing to think about when dealing with Celebrity is they only deal with Celebrity cruises.   It is nice to have a relationship with a TA that gives other travel options.  
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

 

[canderson]

1 hour ago, JJK2008 said:

This is one of those hot topics here on CC. Many on here are deeply loyal to their TA and become indignant if someone suggests NOT using a TA. Some prefer to let someone else (TA) do the work for them. Others like the "perks" they get from a TA. It's a personal choice. ALL cruise lines price fix their cruises. A TA cannot give you a lower price on a cruise. There are exceptions such as group rates that a TA can offer that will reduce the price but even group rates are fixed by the cruise line. As an incentive to book with them, TA's will offer OBC, bottle of wine, gratuities, etc. ALL of these "perks" are paid for by the TA coming out of their commission. Keep in mind the TA is the customer of the cruise line, YOU are a customer of the TA. If anything happens (and it does on occasion) you MUST go through the TA to resolve it, the cruise line will not even talk to you. Some TA's are really good and others, not so much. Personally, we have had two very bad experiences with different TA's and as such for many years now, we book directly with the cruise line. We have found the cruise lines VERY accommodating to work with us when we have had issues arise. For us the perks offered are not worth giving up control of the cruise WE are paying for. You have to decide if the perks offered by the TA are worth giving up control of your cruise. Enjoy your cruise.  

Great summary of the options.

 

Fortunately, we found a great TA company and individual TA some years back.  She even manages our business when she's on a cruise herself, which she does a couple of times every year, so has some first hand experience and knowledge of the offerings.  She most recently locked in a cabin upgrade change for us while sitting on the tarmac waiting to fly home from a company meeting 😀 

 

The problem is that the quality of TA service is all over the map out there, and apart from word of mouth (quite literally here, given the forum restrictions) it is impossible to know in advance what quality of service to expect. 

 

 

[minniemouse427]

I will always use a trusted TA

For our first cruise 24 years ago we had a less than optimal experience with our TA. I will skip the details, but she didn't have the skills to handle our group of 20 and she pulled a few unethical things that I only had corrected by reporting her to the cruise line.

Even after that experience, I still use a TA ...but I do a lot of research before booking w/ a new one and start with smaller "test" trips with them to ensure they are a good fit for us.

That all said, I compare it to booking a WDW trip directly with Disney or using a TA. I have over 20 trips to WDW under my belt and could easily plan and manage our trips. I still do my legwork and plan the main parts of the trip...but then hand it all over to a really great TA that executes it all, stays on top of pricing changes, and is there in case of emergencies.

When it comes to a cruise or WDW, I could easily do either by myself but I find using a TA gives me another pair of eyes in managing the trip and they have my back in case a Nor'easter hits the east coast and shuts down the eastern seaboard (true story).

In the end it is whatever makes you happy and comfortable about your trip. I find that the small about of "control" I hand over isn't that big of a deal, especially since I trust my TA.

I will note that I would never use a travel clearinghouse as a TA. I prefer TAs that specialize (different ones for cruises and WDW) and are personally accessible. 

[Liao]

2 hours ago, KiRiMi said:

Hi,  we are looking at several cruise options on Celebrity in the next few months.  We haven’t sailed on Celebrity for a few years.  What are your experiences/ recommendations with using a travel agent vs. booking directly with Celebrity?  TIA

You will get as many that say to use a TA as you do who will say DIY..  I suggest do a mock booking via the website and then contact a TA and ask them to do an apples to apples comparison.

[Guindalf]

I use an online TA and keep in touch with the same person every time. He looks after me and often, I get more OBC than is offered in their ads. We are on the Summit next month in a Sky Suite and on top of the $150 offered by the cruise line, we have an additional $600 provided by the TA. 

 

I’m not going to say what I think is best, just that it suits me. We’re pretty low maintenance and not checking prices every two minutes and on the phone if it’s $5 cheaper - and I don’t partake in the Move Up offer. I book the stateroom I want. Therefore it pays to get a few bucks back. The DW loves the occasional new Coach purse too!:)

[billc23]

3 hours ago, JJK2008 said:

This is one of those hot topics here on CC. Many on here are deeply loyal to their TA and become indignant if someone suggests NOT using a TA. Some prefer to let someone else (TA) do the work for them. Others like the "perks" they get from a TA. It's a personal choice. ALL cruise lines price fix their cruises. A TA cannot give you a lower price on a cruise. There are exceptions such as group rates that a TA can offer that will reduce the price but even group rates are fixed by the cruise line. As an incentive to book with them, TA's will offer OBC, bottle of wine, gratuities, etc. ALL of these "perks" are paid for by the TA coming out of their commission. Keep in mind the TA is the customer of the cruise line, YOU are a customer of the TA. If anything happens (and it does on occasion) you MUST go through the TA to resolve it, the cruise line will not even talk to you. Some TA's are really good and others, not so much. Personally, we have had two very bad experiences with different TA's and as such for many years now, we book directly with the cruise line. We have found the cruise lines VERY accommodating to work with us when we have had issues arise. For us the perks offered are not worth giving up control of the cruise WE are paying for. You have to decide if the perks offered by the TA are worth giving up control of your cruise. Enjoy your cruise.  

The same issues arise when booking a hotel directly vs using a travel agent/site. I always book a hotel directly but usually use a TA for a cruise. The 10+ % back is hard to give up.

 

[cruzzzinma]

I usually book and he transfers it.

[styles27]

I’ve been cruising for about 40 yrs and always up until 2 years ago booked direct with whichever cruise line I was sailing with. 
 

After reading posts on here about the perks I wasn’t getting by not using a travel agent or travel site I decided to take CC’ers advice. 
 

I’m not looking back. lol I use a cruise agent site. I book it myself on their site, choose my room and immediately have full control of my cruise on the cruise line’s website. 
 

I have 2 cruises booked on Celebrity right now. 
The first is on Beyond in January 2025.  The TA is paying our gratuities, gave us 2 nights in a specialty restaurant and $700 refundable OBC

 

Second cruise Silhouette Sept 2025 all the same freebies and $750 refundable OBC

 

We won’t have anything to spend that money on so we get it back. 
 

I’ve already been booking excursions on the Celebrity app without issue. 
 

Maybe some TA’s don’t allow you to have that much control but the large cruise outlets do. 
 

For us it’s a no brainer we were losing out on thousands of dollars of free stuff in all the years I insisted on booking with the cruise lines direct. 
 

edit to add…forgot to mention we received $100 OBC from Celebrity for each cruise as well. 

Edited September 14 by styles27

[NMTraveller]

I would definitely book with a travel agent.  The perks, group rates, and having the TA do the heavy lifting are well worth it.  Ours even filled out and submitted insurance forms when we were not able to make a trip.  The TAs will call up and resolve an issue with Celebrity when it occurs.  The key is to find a good TA.

 

I have no idea why someone would book directly with Celebrity.

Edited September 15 by NMTraveller

[edgee]

9 hours ago, JJK2008 said:

This is one of those hot topics here on CC. Many on here are deeply loyal to their TA and become indignant if someone suggests NOT using a TA. Some prefer to let someone else (TA) do the work for them. Others like the "perks" they get from a TA. It's a personal choice. ALL cruise lines price fix their cruises. A TA cannot give you a lower price on a cruise. There are exceptions such as group rates that a TA can offer that will reduce the price but even group rates are fixed by the cruise line. As an incentive to book with them, TA's will offer OBC, bottle of wine, gratuities, etc. ALL of these "perks" are paid for by the TA coming out of their commission. Keep in mind the TA is the customer of the cruise line, YOU are a customer of the TA. If anything happens (and it does on occasion) you MUST go through the TA to resolve it, the cruise line will not even talk to you. Some TA's are really good and others, not so much. Personally, we have had two very bad experiences with different TA's and as such for many years now, we book directly with the cruise line. We have found the cruise lines VERY accommodating to work with us when we have had issues arise. For us the perks offered are not worth giving up control of the cruise WE are paying for. You have to decide if the perks offered by the TA are worth giving up control of your cruise. Enjoy your cruise.  

I have a great TA who offers a cash rebate in the form of a check I receive about 2 weeks before the cruise. In addition I receive onboard credit and gratuities covered on some cruises. All in all I get an average savings of 10% on each cruise. Agency has a great agent who handles my bookings plus a great customer service department open 7 days a week. Bottom line is I cannot see in effect paying 10% more for my cruise fare for "control" of the booking.

 

[NMTraveller]

I am not sure how having a TA interferes with control of the booking?  I just e-mail my TA and she takes care of everything including the occasional Marathon session with Celebrity.

 

Now for hotels and airlines I book directly...

[canderson]

13 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

I am not sure how having a TA interferes with control of the booking?  I just e-mail my TA and she takes care of everything including the occasional Marathon session with Celebrity.

 

Now for hotels and airlines I book directly...

That's one of the benefits of dealing with a TA, especially when the phone lines at Celebrity are really being slammed.  The TA can 'batch up' a good handful of the day's customer inquiries/changes/etc and once the phone is answered, deal with all of them on one call. 

 

TAs make zilch on airline bookings, so I'm sure they're glad that we handle those ourselves anyway!  One thing people often either forget or don't realize when booking air through Celebrity - unlike the cruise experience, you can talk directly with FBC about your options and issues whether you booked the cruise direct with Celebrity or through a TA.  And FBC seems to answer the phones fairly quickly.

 

And it's pretty tough to beat hotels.com and similar for looking at the options available, especially in the initial search.

[Syd58]

29 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

I am not sure how having a TA interferes with control of the booking?  I just e-mail my TA and she takes care of everything including the occasional Marathon session with Celebrity.

 

Now for hotels and airlines I book directly...

Completely agree. Our TA is excellent and we get anywhere from 8-10% off our cruise. We sometimes book directly with Celebrity but always transfer the reservation. To me, it’s a no-brainer..

[catspaw1]

We use a TA& will continue. We were booked on the Xploration next year to go to the Galapagos. Celebrity sold our ship. One of the options was to move to the Flora within a 2 week time period of our original cruise. So lots of competition to get a cabin onboard the Flora. I read stories on CC where people couldn't get a cabin. Our TA was quickly able to get us a cabin. BTW many people said they waited on hold for hours with Celebrity.  We also get a lot of OBC & credit with our TA. We are staying with her. Have 2 more cruises already booked with her.

[duchesslt]

I book with Celebrity directly to then transfer to Amex cruise because I get 2x Amex points when they hold the reservation with my gold card. If you are Amex platinum you get 3x points and OBC and a category upgrade. 

[Lena11033]

18 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

I am not sure how having a TA interferes with control of the booking?  I just e-mail my TA and she takes care of everything including the occasional Marathon session with Celebrity.

 

Now for hotels and airlines I book directly...

 

It could depend on the TA, I had one but she left and I was given someone else. Hard to get a hold of/didn't answer questions so really there was no benefit to me having this person.

 

Now I book directly because I can't find a good TA.

[20165]

2 hours ago, Lena11033 said:

 

It could depend on the TA, I had one but she left and I was given someone else. Hard to get a hold of/didn't answer questions so really there was no benefit to me having this person.

 

Now I book directly because I can't find a good TA.

Ditto on that point.  We had a wonderful TA years ago that knew exactly what we liked, disliked, etc. however, she retired and we have not been able to find an equivalent or even close.  I would gladly pay someone to keep an eye out for cruise deals we would be interested in and know our preferred travel times during the year, but i think that kind of service is hard to find these days for some of the points made in previous posts.  Lower commissions, having to give part of them up for OBC, etc. 

[bikerunner]

I been one of the lucky ones, I worked in the Hospitality industry for many years and had great relationships with different TAs and learned the how to differentiate good vs bad very easily.  I have used my current TA for over 12 years. others retired,  so far and probably saved me 10s of thousands on cruises and vacations I booked with them.  From the group pricing, that included the various perks plus the extra obc given when booking with them.  Most times when comparing prices the price I was getting from my TA with al perks was the same or sometimes less than the Room Only price from the cruise lines. The only time I never booked directly with the TA is on the upcoming BCC cruise I have coming up.  With that, there is a difference that needs to be stated, the Big Box ones are very different animal than finding an individual TA, tho most of the time they are associated with large travel groups.