To use a Travel agent or not?

[rdy2cruz07]

...what the statistics are for peoples cruises that have had problems, major questions, etc. that required the "expertise" of a TA that couldn't have been solved or answered on CruiseCritic. As I have always said, the combined experience and knowledge of all the cruisers on this board is a million times greater than the world's best TA. I'd bet there isn't one problem or question that comes up on anybody's cruise that couldn't be answered via a post here. Just another technoligical process that combined with on-line reservations, excursions, profile and check-in process that has virtually made travel agents the modern day carbon paper. There really is no need for their services.

 

Challenge to all you travel agents out there: give us an example of something that you've done for one of your clients that the people on this board wouldn't have been able to do/advise/answer!

 

Peter

 

You know I would have to agree..I really didn't see the added benefit on having a TA. Most of the time I found answers on this board or when I needed further info I wanted to talk to RCI directly and I couldn't so that was annoying. The best expertise is through people that have been there, done that.

[SunFunCruiser]

ubdkjrb,

 

I am a little confused at by what you were saying but yes in both instances the cruise line assisted me in a situation. But again the res agents that you or I talk to could not recitify the problem. It took RCI's sales rep. who work with TA's exclusively to make things better. From what I gather you are saying that RCI's top brass wishes the cruise line would listen to direct consumers then agents.

 

Maybe in your eyes you view this that the direct booking consumer could have recitified the situation. I beleive they could not have but maybe I am wrong. Who knows. What I do know over my 10 years as an agent problems arose and I got a lot of people out situations that were beyond my control.

 

Possibly you feel travel agents are useless and you are entitled to feel that way. I on the other hand I beleive that a good agent does help I have been doing it for a while and have seen instances were this was the case and I have seen the inverse bad agents who screw things up!

 

But getting back your commission discussion I don't that if RCI cute agents they would give the commission of their rates and if they did it would be 2-5%. They will keep that money just like most of the airlines did. When airlines phased out agents commissions most of the major carriers did not lower their fares the 5% commission they used to pay agents. At one point American Airlines offered a 3% discount for booking on their site verses calling them (after they stopped paying agents many more people called there res. centers instead of TA's and they do not want all those calls)

 

Ultimately the cruise line's will cut agents commissions. I am sure in 10-15 years maybe sooner. One of the main reasons the airlines cut commissions was because they did not like that TA's would tell clients that they could fly the same route on another carrier for less. The former CEO of American admitted this. I am sure the cruise line's feel the same way. Many TA's especially brick and morter agencies are not tied down to selling one line (my office gets 15% commission from RCI - wich is the highest amount) but in no way do we force people to sail with RCI! Certain lines are for certain people. So I do my best to match people with the best line for their lifestyle. Now I know that people will argue with me and say that new cruisers will come to cruise boards like cruise critic to learn about the differances between cruise lines and will be informed when booking their cruise with the line direct.

 

But keep this in mind when Celebrity cruises got rid of the Zenith to BErmuda last year and put those people on their new cruise line Azamara to Bermuda the ships were not equal especially to those who had families. Azamara did not have any children facilities. I sat here reading these boards and reading the responses of those that booked direct. They were upset of the change of ship but the Celebrity res agents assured them that the ships were equal. Than the came back and were not happy! Well of course the Celebrity reps would say that! They are not going to be unbiased. They were not going to say - cruise on the NCL Crown because that ship will have children facilities even though its a level below Celebrity. If they booked with a good TA the TA would know that the Azamara ship was a former R ship and that it lacked family amenities.

 

To me by cutting out the agent the cruise line's prosper and the traveling public looses a somewhat unbiased channel. They want that. But this is my opinion from a decade in travel and anyone is open to disagree.

 

 

Very well put NYcruiser80.

I wonder what ubdkjrb does for a living? Maybe we can replace it with a message board? ;)

[jaspercat]

[quote name='nycruiser80;14283939

But keep this in mind when Celebrity cruises got rid of the Zenith to BErmuda last year and put those people on their new cruise line Azamara to Bermuda the ships were not equal especially to those who had families. Azamara did not have any children facilities. I sat here reading these boards and reading the responses of those that booked direct. They were upset of the change of ship but the Celebrity res agents assured them that the ships were equal. Than the came back and were not happy! Well of course the Celebrity reps would say that! They are not going to be unbiased. They were not going to say - cruise on the NCL Crown because that ship will have children facilities even though its a level below Celebrity. If they booked with a good TA the TA would know that the Azamara ship was a former R ship and that it lacked family amenities.

 

 

The Same -- even on paper there was no comparison -- a TA would have been able to tell anyone that in a heatbeat. OK' date=' so if those that had booked and came on CC maybe they would have found that out too, but not EVERYONE who books a cruise or cruises is a CruiseCritic member/reader -- so Peter your statements that someone/anyone would get the same or better info by reading or posting here doesn't add up. There are a lot of cruisers out there, and not everyone can or wants to book direct with a cruise line. I'm pro-RCCL and do use a TA versus booking direct. My current TA isn't always 100%, but it saves me valuable time and effort. I pretty much know what I want to book and when, I tell my TA, and I get back that option plus other comparisons. When I'm ready to book, it's their time spent "on hold" not mine. Any questions, I get an answer from them immediately, not having to keep re-addressing who I am by calling a 800 # and hearing 2 or 3 different things every time (something that is a common point on CC) and having to tell them each time my booking number, etc. A good TA is worth it, they can go to bat for you when you can't; they can get you tickets (cruise, excursion, airline, concert, etc.) when you can't; they can get things done for you without you having to spend time and effort (frustration) to get it resolved.[/color']

 

Hands down I'll use a TA, knowledge from checking a message board, surfing web sites, etc. doesn't always mean you have all the facts.

 

Not sure I understood Peter's comment that if TA's commission were eliminated and he booked directly he would save -- the cost of my cruise(s) isn't any different from the web-fare versus what my TA charges me. If cruise lines cut out commissions to the TA like the airlines did, it will never show up as a reduced cruise fare (airfare sure the heck didn't),

[ubdkjrb]

When I'm ready to book, it's their time spent "on hold" not mine. Any questions, I get an answer from them immediately, not having to keep re-addressing who I am by calling a 800 # and hearing 2 or 3 different things every time (something that is a common point on CC) and having to tell them each time my booking number, etc. A good TA is worth it, they can go to bat for you when you can't; they can get you tickets (cruise, excursion, airline, concert, etc.) when you can't; they can get things done for you without you having to spend time and effort (frustration) to get it resolved.

 

It's always interesting to me to read this same justification from people that use TA's. All of these calls, waiting on hold, speaking to multiple people with different answers, yada, yada, yada. Who does that? It took me all of ten minutes to book our upcoming cruise in September including filling out my "check-in information". This will be our fourteenth cruise and I have never had to call any of the cruiselines with questions or problems. I have posted a few questions on CC and received very appropriate answers. I would venture a guess that the VAST majority of booked cruises are that way - booked, untouched until sail-away. As to some of the questionable answers you get here - there is always someone that does know the right answer that will correct the mis-information.

 

My continued point about the need for travel agents becoming less and less is simply a reflection of our times. Look at how self-sufficient we have ALL become over the last fifteen or twenty years. I work in a very large Corporation and fifteen years ago every Department Manager had a secretary. Today there are three executive secretaries left in the entire building. Fifteen years ago I went to my bank to deposit my check, wrote checks out to pay my bills and had the occasional need to use a bank teller. Today I don't even have a physical bank - only exists in cyberspace. I even have my mortgage and car loans with them. I do alot of my Christmas shopping online. I use Priceline to get cheap hotel rooms and Hotwire to book rental cars. If I need to learn how to do something I used to pay someone else to do, I can go to YouTube and watch "how to" videos.

 

We're all doing these things. Do I make more typos using Microsoft Word than my secretary used to do? Of course. Should I have kept her around just because I'm a little more inefficient? No. Same thing with travel agents. Can they save me a little time? Of course. Do we really need them? Of course not.

 

Peter

[Terpnut]

We're all doing these things. Do I make more typos using Microsoft Word than my secretary used to do? Of course. Should I have kept her around just because I'm a little more inefficient? No. Same thing with travel agents. Can they save me a little time? Of course. Do we really need them? Of course not.

I agree that I no longer use a TA for their help or advice. 95% of my TA's value is her commission--cruiselines still pay good commissions! Thus I like to do all the research and manage all the logistics, but happily transfer my booking to a TA at the last possible moment in exchange for generous OBCs and perks. This makes for a win-win for me and my TA. However, in the long run, if everyone does what I do, the cruise lines will eventually find they're not getting much value or service for that hefty commission, and will reduce or stop paying commissions entirely (like much of the rest of the travel industry). This is a trend but I'll milk it for all its worth for now... :)

[negc]

I agree that I no longer use a TA for their help or advice. 95% of my TA's value is her commission--cruiselines still pay good commissions! Thus I like to do all the research and manage all the logistics, but happily transfer my booking to a TA at the last possible moment in exchange for generous OBCs and perks. This makes for a win-win for me and my TA. However, in the long run, if everyone does what I do, the cruise lines will eventually find they're not getting much value or service for that hefty commission, and will reduce or stop paying commissions entirely (like much of the rest of the travel industry). This is a trend but I'll milk it for all its worth for now... :)

 

You are overlooking the cost that the cruiselines will incur by having to hire additional CSRs to handle all of those extra reservation calls and questions from individual clients. After an objective cost/benefit analysis, the lines may just as likely decide that the current distribution system, involving travel agents, is much more cost effective. And since the price you will pay for your cruise is the same whether you book directly with RCI, Celebrity, or Azamara or through a travel agent, you won't see any of the "savings" that the cruiseline gains from eliminating those "hefty commissions". One of the significant factors that led to the demise of one cruiseline a few years back was its decision to bypass the travel agent community and deal directly with individual cruisers. By the time they saw the error of their ways and decided to try to win back the affection of TAs it was too late and that line is no more. Frankly, I'm not sure that many good TAs would be happy with clients such as yourself who so cavalierly dismiss the value of their experience and expertise and consider their only value being the minimal perks that they can offer. They have to know that your loyalty can be bought by another TA for a lousy $25 or $50 OBC.:rolleyes:

[DISFANS3]

TRAVEL AGENT STORY- We used a T A for are cruise after the wedding 17 years ago. Found a cruise we liked and booked with the T A. Two weeks before the big day T A quits her job,Company still has docs, The company she left would not give me the cruise docs because the T A left on bad terms. After 10 days of fighting with them I mean screaming and yelling on both parts they gave me the docs. T.A.Story # 2- New T.A. WE wanted to go back on the cruise again different cruise line 10 year later. TA company was having cruise days, the special was if you book on that day you get on board credit a several other gifts so we booked, the big day arrived we were not surprized to find out we had no on board credit, I called my TA from ship said there was nothing they could do. Back home I found out nobody called the cruise line to ask about the On board credit or gift, they did call me back 3 months later with a dusty model of the ship they had in there office. Brings me to today, Waiting for TA #3 who only does cruise only, to call with docs for next month cruise on RCI? We went with #3 he was recommed, see what happens. After this I think we will book are self?Thats my story on TA..

[ubdkjrb]

You are overlooking the cost that the cruiselines will incur by having to hire additional CSRs to handle all of those extra reservation calls and questions from individual clients.

 

And again phone calls!!! Who said anything about a phone call. The only phone call I ever made to a cruiseline I booked with was NCL when they had the old "reaccomodation" desk where I purchased an upgrade from a balcony to a Penthouse Suite for $200 pp. Do you think the TA calls in your reservation? He does what I do; jump on their website and book it all from there. They won't have to add any CSR's for that. The airlines didn't add any, why would the cruisline have to? Oh, I know (standard TA answer) - reserving a cruise is much more complicated. Right.

 

Peter

[Terpnut]

You are overlooking the cost that the cruiselines will incur by having to hire additional CSRs to handle all of those extra reservation calls and questions from individual clients. After an objective cost/benefit analysis, the lines may just as likely decide that the current distribution system, involving travel agents, is much more cost effective. And since the price you will pay for your cruise is the same whether you book directly with RCI, Celebrity, or Azamara or through a travel agent, you won't see any of the "savings" that the cruiseline gains from eliminating those "hefty commissions". One of the significant factors that led to the demise of one cruiseline a few years back was its decision to bypass the travel agent community and deal directly with individual cruisers. By the time they saw the error of their ways and decided to try to win back the affection of TAs it was too late and that line is no more. Frankly, I'm not sure that many good TAs would be happy with clients such as yourself who so cavalierly dismiss the value of their experience and expertise and consider their only value being the minimal perks that they can offer. They have to know that your loyalty can be bought by another TA for a lousy $25 or $50 OBC.:rolleyes:

The trend is toward better web-based sales and electronic customer support services, and not toward hiring more customer service employees. Customer service calls and their associated costs only push the cruise lines to build new or enhance existing much-cheaper and potentially more responsive web sites and information systems. Currently, most of their sites are too antiquated to support many customer service requests online, but in the future, they will certainly see the greater return on investment in improving their web-based services versus hiring additional customer service staff to man the phones.

 

The direct sales model has been proven time and time again to be the more cost-effective means of delivering products and services in the modern economy. Cutting out the "middle man" has been, and will continue to be, the way to go. Airlines, computers (e.g. Dell), warehouse clubs, etc. are all examples of successful businesses that sell to and support consumers directly, and they do it better, cheaper and faster than they could before. This is a business reality and the cruise industry, especially once they get their web sites and information systems up to snuff so they can actually participate in the digital economy, will certainly go down that path eventually.

 

As for my TA, she loves me! I tell her what cruises our family has booked, she commits to significant OBCs and I hardly waste one minute of her time during the months leading up to the cruise. I'm sure getting to keep some of her commissions while doing virtually nothing is better than keeping all of her commissions and dealing with a "high maintenance" customer taking up hours of her time and constantly causing her stress.

 

And finally, I don't know what you mean by "minimal perks" or "$25 or $50 OBCs". I typically negotiate and get around 6-7% of my cruise fare in OBCs from my TA to the tune of hundreds of dollars per cruise, so I don't see that as a "minimal perk". :rolleyes: