What does your TA do for you?

[CaptainG]

Hi Everyone,

 

Just curious what types of special things your TA does for you. I have thrown the business of family and friends to my TA which has amounted to 9 cruises (some quite expensive) in the past 2 years. On my most recent cruise we bestowed an additional 5 bookings (for us and relatives) upon her for cruises booked while on the ship.

 

I've had some misgivings about doing this since I don't really see the value add. There has been nothing that she has done that I couldn't have done directly with the cruise line. Maybe I figured I was helping a local business.

 

So here's the question, what does you TA do for you that makes you keep going back?

 

Gordon

[reklawr]

My first cruise was with a TA. I haven't used one since. Many people rave about their TAs but I haven't had one issue that I couldn't address.

I'm sure many will say just wait until you need a good TA and then you'll be glad you had someone to work for you. Perhaps...but until then I'll book my own.

[newmexicoNita]

Hi Everyone,

 

Just curious what types of special things your TA does for you. I have thrown the business of family and friends to my TA which has amounted to 9 cruises (some quite expensive) in the past 2 years. On my most recent cruise we bestowed an additional 5 bookings (for us and relatives) upon her for cruises booked while on the ship.

 

I've had some misgivings about doing this since I don't really see the value add. There has been nothing that she has done that I couldn't have done directly with the cruise line. Maybe I figured I was helping a local business.

 

So here's the question, what does you TA do for you that makes you keep going back?

 

Gordon

I would like to think, if nothing else we do a lot of reseach. I had a client yesterday who wanted a transatlantic cruise for this fall: I did the reseach, pricing, itenerary, etc. After a few hours and some phone calls I called her back: she decided to book one of them: from there I took over as she knew I would. Sometimes our clients actually know exactly what they want: Even then, the work doesn't stop with the booking: we watch for price changes; again had one today that went down $100 per person: I don't know if my client has time to watch, they were extantic when I called to tell them: we are here if something does go wrong: can we solve every problem? No way, but some, yes. After that there, hopefully are little gifts that help like OBC, a bottle of wine, or other perks which, for me, is a way of saying Thank you for your business; we check docs before they go out; if there is an error we can correct before our clients have a chance to go into orbit. Can we save you $1000s, probably not? We also do not cost you anything. NMNita

[STXCruisers]

It is good to see this thread. I book our cruises on my own. I have a friend (not real close) who is a TA and sometimes I wonder if I should throw something her way. However, I enjoy looking at everything that is available before making a decision; and by the time I make the decision, I wonder why involve the TA? While onboard the Mercury in March, we booked another cruise for next March on Millie. They told us we could put it with our TA if we choose to do so. I am wondering if I should do this for my friend. It would cost me nothing more (I don't think), and I suppose Celebrity has the cushion in the fare to cover the TA's cut?:confused:

 

Once we did book a cruise through a TA in Galveston (when there were only one or two cruises out of Galveston). They sent us bon voyage gifts, chocolate covered strawberries. That's about it. Like the previous poster, I don't think there is much we could not handle on our own that a TA could handle for us? I look forward to hearing what some of you might have to say who prefer using a TA.:)

[SheilaNC]

I like having an expert with whom I feel comfortable to answer my questions. Sure I do research on my own and have usually gotten it down to one or two cruises by the time that I call. But, for example, our next cruise entailed booking 4 cabins for our family...all of the work that entailed to work our best deals based on how to assign people to cabins (captain's club upgrades, etc) was handled by my TA. I've called multiple times for arrangements for special occasions, IDs needed for children, cabin locations, etc. Could I do it all myself, sure. But...she makes if so effortless. Little extras like onboard credits are nice, too, but not always forthcoming. AND we have developed a great relationship over 6

plus cruises.

[dutchess43]

I booked a Celebrity cruise yesterday & my faithful TA got me a price of $200.00 per person less then offered. So $200.00 X 2 = $400.00 for us.

[Sky Sweet]

When my husband and I took our first cruise, over thirty years ago, we used a travel agent because it would have been difficult to book one on your own at that time. Now I feel that travel agents make the process more difficult because Celebrity will not deal with you directly if you book your cruise through a TA. Consequently, it can take days,or even longer, to rectify a problem or make a change instead of being resolved immediately by dealing directly through the cruise line. Even so, if a travel agent, who has a good rating with the Better Business Bureau and is also in "good standing" with Celebrity, can book the cabin we want for slightly less, I will use one. However, the savings has to be large enough to compensate for the inconvenience of adding a middle man to the process.

[Pecoraro]

We work with a TA simply because they are able to give you what the cruiselines can't. For example on our recent Celebrity cruise she said she was not allowed to discount the cruise but she could give us spa credit, ship credit as well as pay for shore excursions etc. etc..

 

Fixed price really means nothing to a TA who is willing to help out a returning customer. The more you sail or the more referrals you provide the more perks you are able to negotiate.

[idssms]

I dont want wine, flowers, candy, hugs, etc,,, Show me the money.

 

We negotiate a nice cabin credit and if we don't spend it all it appears as a credit on our visa card.

 

Our agent rocks...

 

Don

[Char]

I dont want wine, flowers, candy, hugs, etc,,, Show me the money.

 

We negotiate a nice cabin credit and if we don't spend it all it appears as a credit on our visa card.

 

Our agent rocks...

 

Don

Do you still use the one in Arkansas?

[idssms]

Wow

 

long time no see!!!

 

the answer is NO for personal reasons.

 

my new guy is great and in orlando.

 

he is 100% in the office, the owner and has 30 agents working for him. I dont have to worry about something coming up that I really want and there is no one to call. I lost too many bookings when I needed them done "yesterday".

 

Now, I have gotten 98% of the cabins I wanted.

 

Don

 

ps last week when the 2 Mille TAs came out at 8 am,, by 8:06, you would not believe how many good cabins were booked and reserved. I did lose out (on the cabin i really wanted) on one the western TA but did get my cabin on the eastern route in March. Guess it was hard to book two cruises at the same time.

[Char]

 

my new guy is great and in orlando.

 

Is the agency BC?

[idssms]

No

 

i ll tell you all abt it if you email me.

 

i really dont want to violate posting rules by discussing TA's on here.

 

idssms@hotmail.com

[Sahaj]

We have received many Bon Voyage gifts from our TA. Flowers, Chocolates, Good champagne!

 

But best of all, he looks out for us in terms of upgrades, advises on on the cabins with the biggest verandahs...some are much bigger....And always e-mails while on the ship to see if our needs are being met!

 

We had a problem with a promised on-board cruise credit on a recent cruise (Celebrity told us our name wasn't on the list). I e-mailed him and voila...next day, it was taken care of!

 

I ask for things...respectfully...and he does his best to accomodate us!

 

TA's can be a great asset!

[glennjudy1]

The TA costs us nothing, has always given us a shipbooard credit (we have a $400 credit for our upcoming Alaska cruise), and always has good suggestions for us for new cruises. I do a lot of research on my own too but it never hurts to have someone else looking out for us as well.

 

Bottom line, it took me going through 4 different TA's before I found my current one. Once you find a good one, I really believe it makes a difference. I think that many people have had experiences with bad or mediocre TA's and that's why they wonder what the point of getting a TA is.

 

The price that I'm quoted is always the lowest I can find on my own(as I said, I do my own research still) and plus I have always gotten at least $150 shipboard credit. That doesn't include any small freebies that get thrown my way, which I don't count on. What's not to like, the only caveat once again being that you have to find a good (or great) TA.

[bob278]

Hi Char. Hi Don.

 

Folks,

 

I can give a couple of examples of value-added.

 

My wife and I are so picky about the cabin we want that we would change dates or even postpone an itinerary to get what we want. We let our TA know what we want and watch for a particular cruise to open up. Our last two and next three cruises have all been booked on "opening day".

 

Now I know we can watch every day, and I check often, but it doesn't always show up on the internet as soon as the trip is available. Good example of that is the westbound TA in Sept 2007 on the Jewel of the Sea. I found out on Cruise Critic that it was open and went to the web site only to see nothing. So I called RCCL to find that our first two choices were not available but our third was. I booked it "just in case". I then called my TA and she laughed at me. She told me I had my choice of my top two.

 

While we were waiting, we considered a Princess TA that has a fantastic itinerary. We have never sailed Princess and know nothing about the ships. From various posts on CC, we knew that there were some mini-suites with oversized balconies on the Grand and we thought we wanted one of those. Our TA carefully explained some little nuances about them that we needed to consider before choosing. We didn't take that cruise, but if we had, it would have been in a cabin we chose with full knowledge of what we were getting rather than just "brochure" or partial information.

 

I have never had a TA cost me money and I usually save something. Either by a direct discount or some gift on board such as a cabin credit, specialty restaurant certificate, etc. I laugh at other trhreads where people complain that their TA doesn't give them enough gifts for all their business or referrals. I've thrown some business to my TA and she has shown me some courtesies in return, but that isn't why I recommended her. I am not one of those people that expect something back every time I do something for someone else. If I were, I'd also expect a little gift from the people that had a good cruise that she booked for them. Seems a little silly when put that way, doesn't it?

 

I consider myself pretty savvy about Celebrity and RCL, but I know nothing about the other lines so, if we venture off, she'll help a lot. If we stay where we are, she'll help us get the cabins we want. If I give up some access to the reservations, I can live with that. If I get a little financial beneift, that's just a bonus.

 

And I am confident that, if something goes wrong and I get in a dispute with the cruise line, she will carry a lot more weight that I will. So far, we have been lucky and never needed the help. But it costs nothing to have it waiting so why in the world wouldn't I want that?

[Char]

Hi Bob :D

You said it!! That TA is a keeper for all the reasons you stated. Booked 14 cruises with her so far :p

[idssms]

HI Bob

 

long time no see on here.. I guess I need to get out of the roll calls more often.

 

A TA is a very important element in having a great vacation. I am happy now with mine and he is bending over backwards to take care of my high maintenance needs.

 

I have referred customers and he is very grateful. I did miss out next year on one cruise because things just went so fast on opening day last week for the Millie TAs.

 

With all the negatives on here about Celebrity these days its great to see the ships still fill up so fast.

 

My stock is a different story, lol $44.50 to $35.. WOW.. but I have gotten a lot of $200 owner loyalty credits on my account so my cost is prob less then $35.00 and the credits are tax free like munis AND not subject to AMT.. HAHHAA

 

say hi to your DW for me..

 

Don

[Karynanne]

My TA is the same one Bob278 uses. The service, knowledge and extremely professional attitude are values I look for. I have found all in this agency. We currently have several future cruises booked, and we always procure the cabin we request. As Bob stated, they do provide onboard credit, generous cabin gifts...but foremost provide prompt, and valued attention to details. They will have my business for many years to come.

 

Karyn

[CaptainG]

Many of you confirmed my suspicions that my TA is not up to par.

 

No cabin credits, no gifts and when I do my usual level of cruise research, the best she can do is cofirm what I already know. On our last cruise she sent us the information on our flights one of which we were not happy with. She claimed that Celebrity would only deal with flight issues through e-mail. After 2 weeks with no results, our doc's came with the same undesireable flight. If I were dealing with the cruise line directly, I would have stayed on the phone until I was happy.

 

Can I change or elimate a TA on a standing booking? If not how do I broach the issue with her that her service is not up to par?

 

Gordon

[rjg41]

For those that feel booking with a TA has no advantages here are some FACTS:

 

1) Any fare offered by an RCCL/X agent, including any perks, a travel agent will at least offer you that.

 

2) It is true that travel agents cannot discount normal fares as you would see them on RCCL/X's web site BUT:

 

a) A travel agent has access to group fares and/or perks on a number of sailing dates, even if you are not part of the group. Those fares CANNOT be offered by RCCL/X agents.

 

b) A travel agent has access to fares from RCCL/X for some sailings that are only available to travel agents and that are not group fares. RCCL agents CANNOT offer those fares. These are lower fares but not considered a discount.

 

c) Depending on category booked, an agent might provide a gift ranging from something like a bottle of wine to shipboard credit. An RCCL/X agent cannot do this unless it is part of a RCCL/X package deal. If there is a RCCL/X package the travel agent will offer you that PLUS possibly the additional gift.

 

3) In case of problems, remember the RCCL/X agent works for the cruise line. The travel agent works for YOU.

 

4) Any booking made on board can be transferred to the travel agent and you keep the shipboard credit you received.

 

5) A good travel agent is MORE THAN a reservation clerk and can and will do more to maximize your cruising experience.

 

6) The travel agent can alert you to "Happy Hour" deals many days before the actual date as they receive early notification. The RCCL/X agent generally does not know the "Happy Hour" deals before they are posted to them on Tuesday.

 

7) A travel agent can book "Happy Hour" deals before the RCCL/X phones open on Tuesday.

 

8) Many travel agents can and do notify you and act on price reductions.

 

Happy cruising!!!!!

[Sky Sweet]

In reality, a travel agent works for the cruise line because that is who pays them their commission. This is similar to a real estate broker who looks for homes with a potential buyer, helps them find a mortgage, and presents their offers to the owner of the property, but actually works for the seller unless they have a special contract to be a buyer's agent and the seller knows it.

[newmexicoNita]

Sky sweet, yes, you are correct in theory, but we also work for our clients. We want them to have a perfect or as close to perfect as possible vacation experience, we want referrals, repeat business and for me, more than anything, a client that returns totally satisfied. That is what makes my job so much fun. If I don't provide the best I can they will not be happy. rjg41 is right about what agents can provide and it never costs the client a penny. Actually there are some companies that do charge a booking fee, but they are few and far between.

 

I was a real estate agent for 12 years (back in the 70s and 80s) yes, we did work for the seller because he/she paid our commission, but as with the travel industry I did my best for whichever side I represented and I think most agents do.

 

NMNita

[iamirish]

The Agency that my, now X-TA, "worked" for is now charging $100 per cabin to book cruises. My X-TA, who I liked a lot, was paid strictly on commissions and the new owner wanted more money to pay for his new upscale offices. I had used him for my last 8-10 cruises that I had booked. I did call him and explain why I was leaving. He understood, but it was out of his hands

 

Needless to say, when I booked my next cruise, an 11-day out of SD on the Mercury in October, I used a new TA - she is great. She e-mailed last week that the price had gone $200 per cabin!!

 

Keep in mind, that your TA can only do what his/her agency will allow them to do - e.g. perks.

 

Tom

[bob278]

Well, while the agent gets paid by the cruiseline, there would be no commission if the client didn't assign the booking to them. There is significant incentive for the agent to favor the client. They want more commissions from you (excuse me, from the cruiseline, but based on your giving them your booking, no matter how you made it) and it certainly is in their best interest to give you something to make you want to continue the relationship.

 

But who pays the agent only becomes an issue of any sort if there is a dispute. It doesn't take much thought to realize that a travel agent has better access to those poeple within the cruiseline organization empowered to offer resolution. The folks you would get if you called yourself have little training in complaint resolution and, beyond whatever level of courtesy they possess, don't really care much if you hang up happy or upset. Sure, you can keep asking for another supervisor, but why not let someone who can go straight to higher levels work for you. An agent is far more likely to get the maximum the cruiseline would offer and much more quickly.

 

When there are no disputes, you don't need an advocate, but there is still more that can be done to enhance the cruise experience. I tend to do a lot of research because that is my nature. But I can't know everything and I am pleased that I have someone I can go to with questions. And I know when she answers one, it is based on her knowledge of the facts and factors in what she knows about my preferences. That is a nuance you don't get when asking a question on the open forum. And, I know that on many cruises, I will get some kind of financial benefit that I will almost never get from the cruiseline.

 

So for those who never have questions they feel they can't answer and also are confident that they need no advocates who know their potential adversary beter than they do, dealing directly with the cruiseline is the way to go. That provides them the privilege of having a cruiseline representative answer their questions directly (and I hope they understand the odds of getting the right answer on the first try) and a sense of total control.

 

But the rest of us prefer to have someone we trust (and that is a BIG factor - get an agent you trust and has delivered for you or someone you know) to help us out with questions, information and yes, financial benefit for those where that is the top priority.

 

There really isn't a right/wrong position here, just personal choice. But the OP's question has sparked a pretty good exchange of views on both sides and that's a good thing.