Internet Agency, reliable??

[Frankie Sue]

I have just booked our second cruise (October 2007) using an Internet Agency advertising on this Board. Our first cruise was booked this way and we have a very good experience.

This Agency is a different one but I checked that they were members of all the right affiliations and had the right permits plus they are advertised on this Board, so they should be reputable.

However since I booked, I have had a couple of questions, and every time I contact the representative assigned to our file, he never responds unless I email several times and call.

Should I worry? Should I think of transferring our booking to another Agency? What has been your experience?

I look forward to reading your comments

[cruisepoor]

I have used the same local TA for the last 14 cruises. She knows my likes and dislikes, the kind of stateroom i'm looking for , the dining setup I like and so forth. If there's a problem all I need to do pick up the phone and call. I use the internet to check prices, but she has never let me down. I'm far more comfortable spending large sums of money with someone I know.

[lougee1043]

like everything else there are good on line tas and there are great on line tas--- sounds like you just have a mediocre one --- you might feel more comfortable switching your res to a great one

[Len3]

We've used the same one on 4 cruise bookings and everything has been great. Our local TA can't come even close to the pricing.

[Samme]

Hi,

 

I booked our upcoming March cruise with a big internet travel agency. I used them because they beat everyone's price by a substantial amount. That being said, I too have received little to no customer service. I've had to write emails and make at least two phone calls before getting an answer to any of my questions. I will not use them again.

 

Don't let that scare you as long as you're familar with cruising and what you want. If you have lots of questions and need true customer service I would transfer your booking if that's possible. I've been on enough cruises to know what I wanted so I just used them to get the price. I've had no problems. My documents have arrived and everything is in order. We're ready to go!!:)

 

Make sure you get a email confirmation letter from the travel agency immediately showing exactly what you've booked and how much you've paid. Also go to the cruise line's website and punch in your confirmation number to make sure they have your reservation. That will assure you everything is going smoothly.

[hammybee]

Many of the internet agencies offer better prices because they do not have to employ as many of us, costly humans. Getting a live, in the flesh, human can be a problem at some of the agencies and consumer persistence is often necessary. Sometimes, they charge extra, when human assistance is needed. It makes sense, it costs them more to provide the human touch.

 

Those who need human intervention are often better off paying a little more to have someone to talk to. If you were happy with your first experience, why did you not stick with that agency?

[Frankie Sue]

Thank you all for your helpful replies. Samme you really helped. What you said about using an Internet Agency only to book and not really to answer any questions was so true. And actually you made me realize that I got exactly what I needed because I knew exactly what I wanted and any questions that I may have are so well answered on this Board. And I did just as you said, I booked, got an email confirmation with all the details of what is paid, what is due and when and checked that my reservation was showing on the Cruiseline’s website. So I am all set and now I also feel good about it.

As for the reason why I did not use the same Agency as the last time is simply that this time they could not match the price…..

So many, many thanks to all of you

[HeatherInFlorida]

I know you've already worked this out, but just wanted to say no one should be put off using an internet agent based on poor service with one. Switching to a B&M agent is no guarantee that you'll get better service. The worst service I've ever gotten has been with 2 local "round the corner" agents.

 

I've had both good, mediocre and terrible service with internet agents. I used one listed on this board for years and loved them, but after our last experience I've washed my hands of them. I need no "service" per se because I do all the work myself, but I believe a TA is required to at the very least send me all the documents provided by the cruise line. One of the TA's listed here doesn't feel that way.

 

Anyone who is looking for considerable service from a TA or has a lot of questions is generally better off with a non-internet TA. One of the biggest reasons online agents offer better prices is they don't have to hold our hands.

[cruisepoor]

I must have the world's best TA. I've never found a price on a cruise she couldn't at least meet. Plus she looks out for us on special prices for cruises she knows we might like.

[Sueseb]

We have had excellent service from 2 different internet agencies. In one case we saved $700. over what was quoted to us by our local B&M TA for the same stateroom! And, we have always had our e-mails or phone calls returned the same day. Sue

[PoopDeckPappy]

We've used the same one on 4 cruise bookings and everything has been great. Our local TA can't come even close to the pricing.

 

Who do you use? My ta is fine but the pricing is just what's advertised by the cruise lines' websites. Thanks for the info.

[HeatherInFlorida]

We can't name names here, PoopDeck, unfortunately. It would be terrific if we could. But if your TA is quoting the same price as HAL is then check another TA. Despite what some here will tell you, you can always do better with a TA than HAL.

 

The TA I'm using now lowers our rate every time HAL lowers theirs or if I see a lower rate on another site. My rate for 11/25 has been lowered twice. It only comes to about $200, but lower is lower:) .

[Jade13]

When people say lower, I want to know exactly whay they are talking about based on HAL's prices which are back & white on line. If someone saved $100, was that per peson or 2 people in a cabin? Was that for a 7 day, 10 day, verandah etc.

 

Hal told me that most (on-line)TA's will take off about $50 or $100 (7 day Outside vs Verandah) but usually do it in the form of an on-line credit. Some folks say the TA gives them a Pinnacle Grill dinner or bottle of wine. I still think better service is worth an extra $100.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Jade, I can't speak for anyone else. But let's take my current cruise as an example. We are booked in a BA category. For the 2 of us, HAL quoted a total of $5143 (14 nights) ... that's for everything. My TA gave us a rate of $4730 ... for everything. That's $413 ... for us a big difference.

 

Since that time HAL lowered a bit ($50) and so did my TA. Then I saw a lower price on another site so my T/A matched that and brought it down another $180 or so and we're now at about $4500. HAL is now charging $5093 so it's almost a $600 difference ... maybe not a lot for some, but a heck of a lot for us.

 

We always book a verandah category and always for 2 people. We have saved anywhere from $200 to $1000 by booking through a T/A.

 

If you feel you get better service from HAL directly, then by all means use them. I'd never discourage anyone from doing that. I would agree for $100, it would be worth it. But they need to give me an awful lot better service for +$400.

[gizmo]

Jade,

 

I booked an S suite. I am saving about 400.00 Per Person by using a TA.

[rps2004]

Used a very well known internet TA for my recent 1/27 Noordam cruise. They do have individual owners who are id'd on their website and do maintain a B&M office.

 

Never dealt with them before, but they had the lowest price on the sailing. Actually, they were showing the "glitch" pricing that was offered to them by HAL for group bookings. I do all my own research, and as my previous postings will attest, I thought it was a great price (which I saw on several other internet TA sites) but not a dollar for a plane ticket cheap. I booked two cabins GG and VD.

 

Remember know, I was new to them. Without much ado on my part, they:

• paid the difference that HAL eventually demanded (I confirmed their additional payment with HAL on the final payment date);
  
• passed on the $100pp credit that HAL offered for the glitch buyer's inconvenience - even though I didn't suffer much inconvenience;
  
• still gave me the promo credits that HAL included when they posted the special group rate - champagne, $50 cabin credit and 8 glasses
  
• sent my docs in the lovely blue pouches
  

 

When we first discussed the price discrepancy I was told by one of the senior people that the owner was working on it with HAL, but that he would "make good" on the difference, regardless of what HAL did. I was told to trust them - I did - and it worked out just as they said. I understand they had approx 40 cabins affected. you can do the math.

 

I will definitely book with them again. They earned the business.

 

Richard