RCI vs TA

[Magicat]

We have used a travel agent twice to book our cruises now we go direct with RCI. When you book with a TA they usually provide you with a small gift (bottle of wine, chocolate strawberries...etc), however when you book with RCI direct you receive nothing. Now wouldn't it be a nice gesture if RCI gave you a little token of appreciation for booking direct with them? A great marketing idea would be to give one free dinner at Chops or Portofino's. You wouldn't go alone so the other person would have to purchase a dinner increasing revenues. Just an idea...what does everyone else think?

[wdrl]

Do you get better rates booking direct with RCI? Maybe that's your gift. And if you don't get better rates with RCI why don't you use a TA?

[Cruising89143]

Do you get better rates booking direct with RCI? Maybe that's your gift. And if you don't get better rates with RCI why don't you use a TA?

 

 

Prices should be the same but there are TA's that give you nice incentives to book with them which in turn gives you a better deal than what the cruise line offers. For me I will stick with my TA. I have always paid less overall than what the cruise line charges with the added incentives that my TA passes along.

[Mocorobabe]

Royal Caribbean does give you an incentive IF you book a cruise while on another cruise. They give up to $200.00 onboard credit. If not on a cruise, I suggest you use your TA.

 

Mocorobabe

[cruisePRN]

i book directly with RCL so I can call them directly and take advantage of price reductions. If you use a TA RCL won't talk to you.

[isujim]

I always use my local TA................16 cruises booked and counting........yes she always sends wine........but SERVICE is what it is all about............

 

You don't need a TA............until you NEED a TA.........:)

[pmshirl]

i book directly with RCL so I can call them directly and take advantage of price reductions. If you use a TA RCL won't talk to you.

I too , always use a Local TA. My TA gets the price reduction if there happens to be one after I book. He checks daily for all his clients! I recieve very nice Gifts,(bottle of wine, $100.-$200. OBC, Casino Gift cert.) and I feel I don't need to view or control my own Reservation, when I have someone I trust to do it for me! I have booked OB and received the OBC for the booking, then transferred the reservation over to my TA and also got an OBC from him. If pax are concerned about the reduction in price as the main reason for using RC to book, well a lot of TA will give you OBC along with getting that reduction for you, so in that case you are Saving even more $$$ with having the OBC plus the Reduced fare if the price goes down.

I see no point at all to book with RC when you get more from a TA, if you have the Right TA!

[negc]

i book directly with RCL so I can call them directly and take advantage of price reductions. If you use a TA RCL won't talk to you.

And if you book with a TA, you can call him or her and take advantage of price reductions and also get valuable advice and other services that won't be available from RCI.

[cruisePRN]

And if you book with a TA, you can call him or her and take advantage of price reductions and also get valuable advice and other services that won't be available from RCI.

 

If you can reach them AND if they return calls.

[willysgrandma]

I noticed that my price was exactly the same either through my TA (cruise411) or direct with RCI. Other cruises I have done it has been cheaper to go through a TA.

But with the TA I got free travel insurance as the incentive.

 

That is because RCCL and Celebrity are among the few cruise lines that do not allow discounting,so travel agents and the cruise line are on the same level to sell cruises for them. Many times, you can't even get a discount on a group booking, the fares are the same, but you will get amenities for clients.

 

:)

[pmshirl]

If you can reach them AND if they return calls.

When you are stuck at an airport, because you flight is delayed, or some other reason for delay, Good Luck trying to get RC by phone!:D

I was in a situation like this and my TA answered the phone immediately when I called ( which he normally always does, up until midnite) and my TA went on the airports manifest and directed me to which airline I could get a flight on to make it to the port, which saved me from running through the airport from airline to airlines. This same time there were pax that booked directly with RC, cruise and air and were stranded at that airport because of no communication with RC to find them another flight!

Those pax didnt arrive at the pier until 8:50pm (ship was leaving at 10PM) and they weren't very happy to say the least, knowing I arrived at 5:45pm and we were all scheduled for the same original flight!

[cruisePRN]

I booked my last cruise with an online agency and wouldn't do that again. They never answer the phone and never return calls. I think I'll take my chances with RCL.

[pmshirl]

I booked my last cruise with an online agency and wouldn't do that again. They never answer the phone and never return calls. I think I'll take my chances with RCL.

A Local Travel agent and an online agent are 2 different type of agents. The online agent , you very rarely will talk to a live person. The Local TA, you talk live with on a regular basis. Good Luck!

[Cruising89143]

A Local Travel agent and an online agent are 2 different type of agents. The online agent , you very rarely will talk to a live person. The Local TA, you talk live with on a regular basis. Good Luck!

 

 

Correct. Those large agencies are no different than dealing with the cruise lines. Just like anything else in life, you have to find the right person or agency to deal with.

[Magicat]

Thanks for the input. We really have not had any great experience's with a TA. We had transferred a booking that we had made online with RCI to a travel agent and due to different taxes it actually ended up costing us more doing it this way. We are not against TA's in any way, we have just found that they have not done anything for us and since RCI pays them a commission we had just thought since they save money when we book with them direct that RCI should offer us something in return for doing this. We usually do book onboard so yes we do get the OBC of 100 but for the last cruise we booked we did not get anything in return as we booked online with RCI direct. Maybe in the future we should reconsider booking direct unless we are onboard - just a thought!!

Thanks again.

[Cruising89143]

Thanks for the input. We really have not had any great experience's with a TA. We had transferred a booking that we had made online with RCI to a travel agent and due to different taxes it actually ended up costing us more doing it this way. We are not against TA's in any way, we have just found that they have not done anything for us and since RCI pays them a commission we had just thought since they save money when we book with them direct that RCI should offer us something in return for doing this. We usually do book onboard so yes we do get the OBC of 100 but for the last cruise we booked we did not get anything in return as we booked online with RCI direct. Maybe in the future we should reconsider booking direct unless we are onboard - just a thought!!

Thanks again.

 

Again with a TA one has to find a good one. There are many out there. Some folks look for the least expensive price each time that they cruise and will jump from TA to TA to the cruise lines in order to save fifty cents. Find yourself a good brick and mortar TA and they will take care of you not only price wise but also with good service. They take care of their loyal customers. Cruise line reps work for the cruise lines and place their interest first. Just the opposite with a TA. Good luck in the future.