Why use a Travel Agent

[lucy2800]

Just thought I'd share this great article. --- And by the way (sonomaphil), agents ARE NOT just "order takers"!

 

http://www.magellans.com/store/article/396?Args=

 

Copyright © 2007 Magellan's Travel Supplies

[DiTomCruisers]

very good points

[chasetf]

......are you a TA ?

 

I almost always use one for most of the reasons you mention...... especially the "fix problems" one.

[Nanatravel]

I totally agree and I am not an agent. One snafu and you will know why a personal travel agent not an order taker, like at Expedia is worth their weight in gold.

 

Bon Voyage

[sonomaphil]

Ahem...from her profile here:

 

Occupation:

Travel Consultant, Former teacher (before children)

[cbpanda]

Just thought I'd share this great article. --- And by the way (sonomaphil), agents ARE NOT just "order takers"!

 

http://www.magellans.com/store/article/396?Args=

 

Copyright © 2007 Magellan's Travel Supplies

 

 

I don't know....maybe it's the travel agents in my town, but I feel like I know more about travel than they do (which isn't saying much). I haven't yet found a travel agent that I believe to be knowledgeable about... what is it ...."social customs, currency and water quality."

 

For example, the travel agent we used for our first cruise didn't even know that we could book tour excursions ahead of time. She just told us visit the tour desk after we boarded, which was bad advice, since all the excursions were sold out by that time. The only thing she was really helpful with was taking our money.

 

I have not given up entirely on them, but serious interviewing will be required before I put my trust in another agency.

[sradogna]

Good points for complicated travel involving stops and flights, etc. but, I'm not sure any of them hold up very much for booking a cruise.

 

Since you can't get the best price by booking directly with Princess, I always start off with a direct booking to hold my preferred cabin. Then I take my time searching for the travel agent giving the best discount to transfer the booking to.

 

In this scenario, the travel agent becomes less than an "order taker" and really just a name on the reservation I booked myself that enables me to get a good discount. I have a hard time understanding why the agent should get a commission for doing absolutely nothing but that's the way the silly system works.

[bythehex]

We ALWAYS use a travel agent. When we made the final payment on our upcoming cruise, Princess overcharged us by $358. We tried calling Princess directly and got less than stellar results. All it took was one phone call to our travel agent, who straightened it all out. We've since received our refund.

I would never book directly with any cruise line for just that reason. It's much better for my peace of mind to know that I've got someone working on my behalf.

Sharon H.

[NthernLgts]

I couldnt agree more. Combined with the fact that better deals can usually be had through some form of T/A it is difficult to understand why people would choose to book direct for anything except possibly a screaming last minute deal. I would prefer to have a T/A around to run interference when issues come up.

[nschurr]

Good points for complicated travel involving stops and flights, etc. but, I'm not sure any of them hold up very much for booking a cruise.

 

Since you can't get the best price by booking directly with Princess, I always start off with a direct booking to hold my preferred cabin. Then I take my time searching for the travel agent giving the best discount to transfer the booking to.

 

In this scenario, the travel agent becomes less than an "order taker" and really just a name on the reservation I booked myself that enables me to get a good discount. I have a hard time understanding why the agent should get a commission for doing absolutely nothing but that's the way the silly system works.

 

The way you do it seems to me to make the most sense. After transferring to an agent, you then have an advocate to fight for you if needed.:)

[sonomaphil]

I couldnt agree more. Combined with the fact that better deals can usually be had through some form of T/A it is difficult to understand why people would choose to book direct for anything except possibly a screaming last minute deal. I would prefer to have a T/A around to run interference when issues come up.

 

I think that's where the "what is a TA" comes into play. Most people, associate a TA as someone who you can go see and touch. Online TA's you can't. Even if you go to a online booking site, you are using a TA, just not one you can reach out and touch. I always use a TA...as an order taker. No different than when I buy something from Amazon. I know what I want, don't need hand holding so who ever has the lowest price is the one I pick. More than likely they will never talk to me again.

[sackman]

Some folks appreciate what a good travel agent can do for them in certain situations. I wouldn't ever book a cruise without the assistance of a travel agent. I just wouldn't. But if I'm booking a flight to Chicago, there's no reason to involve a travel agent. I can handle that perfectly well by myself. It's all a function of the relative complication of the trip as far as I'm concerned.

 

I'm fortunate that I have a great TA who's been in the busines for something like 30 years and knows all the tricks. The problem is that as those folks get older and retire, the young agents aren't able to garner the same level of trust with their clients.

 

A good travel agent is much more than an order taker, but if that's all you want them for, then that's all they'll ever be for you. They CAN be much, much more.

[frankathy]

I have booked both ways. The problem without a T/A is you have no recourse or anyone to help you. Usually the T/A is given advance notice of schedule changes / upgrades, etc. The T/A can be reserving a hotel room knowing that you flight was cancelled. For example right after 9/11 my T/A went into action and booked everyone on the cruises coming into ports a hotel room. Not one client slept in an airport. That is service. Good luck with the online booking agents. That being said some are very good as well and are associated with a great Host Agency.

[TM]

We have booked all of our cruise through the same travel agent. We booked our first cruise with him 15 years ago and are still getting the same great service as we did back them. He is very on top of things and always checking on prices. Through his constant checking we were awarded a very nice upgrade 2 days before sailing last year. My only concern is what will we do when he retires??

[NthernLgts]

I think that's where the "what is a TA" comes into play. Most people, associate a TA as someone who you can go see and touch. Online TA's you can't. Even if you go to a online booking site, you are using a TA, just not one you can reach out and touch. I always use a TA...as an order taker. No different than when I buy something from Amazon. I know what I want, don't need hand holding so who ever has the lowest price is the one I pick. More than likely they will never talk to me again.

 

I think we're on a similar page here. I could care less if I use an online TA or a bricks & mortar TA - as long as they are reputable. I am with you in the sense that I generally dont need a T/A for cruising advice, I'll get better info here for that. Same with most other travel. I tend to do a lot of my own homework. What I am largely interested in is what kind of deal I can swing, can I depend on the outfit i'm booking with, and will they run interference if there is a problem.

[sonomaphil]

I think we're on a similar page here. I could care less if I use an online TA or a bricks & mortar TA - as long as they are reputable. I am with you in the sense that I generally dont need a T/A for cruising advice, I'll get better info here for that. Same with most other travel. I tend to do a lot of my own homework. What I am largely interested in is what kind of deal I can swing, can I depend on the outfit i'm booking with, and will they run interference if there is a problem.

 

I can get a better price on a cruise, air travel, hotel rooms, transfers just about anything travel related by researching it myself.

 

To everyone who basically just calls up that old reliable TA you've always used and book with no matter what the price, next time just for giggles, head to some internet cruise seller sites. Easy to find...no specific recommendations as to who...google things like "discount cruise" or "value cruise". Proceed like your going to make a reservation. Don't worry you'll stop way before you actually buy anything. Pick what you want and then they will show you the price. Now compare that price to the price your old reliable TA gave you. I think you be shocked at just how much your old reliable TAs "service" actually cost.

[fathercop]

Recently, I have been doing some research on this topic and though I have great TA, her agency has not been able to come close with the type of fares I have found on-line. She did find us a couple of really hot deals with Princess, like our upcoming cruise. However, in planning a family cruise to Alaska next summer, her agency is off by nearly $1,200.00 with what I can find on-line. As a matter of fact we are saving so much that we are looking at getting a mini suite. I will admit that the down side is that we cannot get all of our cabins right next to each other for the advertised internet fares. It seems then, that there is a bit of a trade off in having a brick and mortar TA as compared with an internet one.

 

It cannot be forgotten that if it is our goal to get the best prices as passengers, it is the Travel Agency's goal to make money, albeit by providing excellent service, but still with making money.

 

Good luck with whatever choice you make.

[catergirl]

we saved $1200. by using an online agent. the TA we had used for years(a friend as well) couldnt come close. she told us to go ahead with it, her agency could touch it. as far as missed flights, well we booked princess air last time and when engine trouble on one flight caused us to miss the next, i called princess and they said to work with the airline not them(HA) i think as long as you do your homework, there are many reputable online agents.

[Ivanova]

...but serious interviewing will be required before I put my trust in another agency.

 

You should always interview before picking a TA ... and asking friends, coworkers and relatives for referrals is important too. If you pick solely on price, don't be surprised when you're less than happy with the service (or lack thereof).

[sonomaphil]

You should always interview before picking a TA ... and asking friends, coworkers and relatives for referrals is important too. If you pick solely on price, don't be surprised when you're less than happy with the service (or lack thereof).

 

Ever notice how many TA's that don't post much come out of the woodwork when a thread like this comes up?????? Funny, huh?

[Ivanova]

Ever notice how many TA's that don't post much come out of the woodwork when a thread like this comes up?????? Funny, huh?

 

Did you bother to notice that I've posted to non-TA related threads? Or just because you haven't noticed my posts before you assume I came out of the woodwork for this thread alone?

 

I've been posting on Cruise Critic since 2004, well before becoming a TA. Maybe 200+ posts in 3 years isn't much for most people here, but that doesn't mean I haven't been here all the time.

[Host Caroline]

Just a word of caution that if you are a TA, you can't in any way "promote" yourself.. If you identify yourself as such that's fine but there cannot be links in signature, profile etc. and you cannot urge people to contact you for further information.

[lvtotrvl1]

Ever notice how many TA's that don't post much come out of the woodwork when a thread like this comes up?????? Funny, huh?

 

When the title of the thread is "Why use a travel agent" I would suspect TA's may reply.....and my idea of "out of the woodwork" is more than two.

[sonomaphil]

When the title of the thread is "Why use a travel agent" I would suspect TA's may reply.....and my idea of "out of the woodwork" is more than two.

 

You make it three. :rolleyes:

[lvtotrvl1]

OK..so now we qualify for coming out of the woodwork?