Travel Agent or Directly thru Cruiseline?

[TwoWeebles]

What are the differences in booking through a travel agent versus booking online directly through the cruiseline? Can a TA find better deals than you can see for yourself on the cruiseline website? What does the TA get out of it? A fee?

[Putterdude]

We like to do our our due diligence first by checking the cruise line sites, then some of the on-line TA sites and then armed with this information we contact our TA who's company operates both on-line and b&m and he always beats the pants off anything we can find.:)

[paul929207]

TA's often have lower prices than the cruise lines, or they offer some perks.

[GottaLuvCruising]

Don't forget that good TAs offer expertise in selecting and booking your travel, along with advocacy should any problems arise. It is unwise to make fare the first consideration in planning something as important as your vacation. And selecting a TA based on who will rebate the largest share of their hard-earned commission invites problems (would you choose a doctor or lawyer based on who was the "most desperate" for your business?).

[silentbob007]

You always need to check the fees and policies of a TA before you book with them. Is there a booking fee? Fee to ship documents? Do they offer any perks? Will they pursue a price drop? Do they have a cancellation fee above what the cruiseline may charge?

 

I usually book directly with the cruiseline so I can control my reservation, call for price drops, etc.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have used the same personal TA -- right near us -- for over 23 years. We do all the searching -- all she has to do is make certain that all the little details are taken care like shipboard credits. She doesn't even do the booking anymore since we book future cruises while already on a cruise.

Once she retires -- hopefully not for a few more years -- then we will book directly with the cruise lines.

We do not like on-line travel agences -- JMO.

[Teetype]

We like to do our our due diligence first by checking the cruise line sites, then some of the on-line TA sites and then armed with this information we contact our TA who's company operates both on-line and b&m and he always beats the pants off anything we can find.:)

 

So far, at loeast with Princess, I book through the cruise line. However, though, like you, I check prices on their site, I call my cruise planner also as her prices are ALWAYS less than what is on the Princess site due to my past with them as well as promotions they're running that are not figured into the website prices.

 

Tee

[fann1sh]

A lot of good info in the above posts.

 

I've always booked with a travel agent, because I want someone to go to bat for me if there's a mistake by the cruise line, or a change in circumstances: if the ship is chartered for my voyage, who will negotiate with the line that I get a similar cabin for the same price on an alternate date?

 

But as competition stiffens among on line travel agencies, we're hearing of more mistakes by the agents which the cruise line can't help with: what happens when an agency puts through your charge for final payment to themselves, versus the cruise line? Holds the money for a month, then fails to make the payment by the deadline?

 

Rather than booking on line, I'm a fan of bricks and mortar local TA's. If there's a problem, you can visit the storefront of a local TA, and meet face to face instead of waiting for email or callback. I'd interview some, ask what fees they charge for cancellations or cabin changes, who the credit card payment is made out to (correct answer: the cruise line), what trip cancellation insurance they recommend and why (then look at the coverage in the brochure, or research on line somewhere like insuremytrip.com, and see if the main virtue is the commission the agent gets :rolleyes:). Tell them what kind of cruise you're looking for, and see if the line they recommend matches the research you've done. If they're all noodleheads, I'd probably book with the line - but only if you're assigned to a personal cruise consultant who you can call with questions.

 

I know - it's all so much *work*, isn't it?

[Texas_Diver]

We book directly through the cruise line. My partner has a wonderful relationship with one of Carnival's customer service reps. She calls this rep directly and the deals have been incredible.

 

D.