Need to choose - RCI or NCL/Travel Agent or Online Booking

[azldw]

My new husband and I will be taking our first cruise together in the spring and we are looking at the NCL Norwegian Jade and the RCI Brilliance of the Seas, both roundtrip out of Barcelona. One wrinkle, my husband will be flying in from Afghanistan, and I'll be flying in from Arizona.

 

Two questions. For a first cruise for my very casual and informal-natured husband, which would be the better choice - NCL or RCI? And secondly, am I better off working with a travel agent, or through an online agent like travelocity?

 

All help is appreciated. :)

[luv2cruzfrmtx]

I have only saild RCI so I can't help you with that question BUT, I learned a hard lesson after hurricane Rita....always use the cruise line directly. If you have any problems, the cruise line will help you work them out.

 

Our TA was here in Beaumont during Rita and was destroyed and we were unable to contact them by phone at all. It took several days before RCI could get clearance to discuss our cruise with us. Evidently the our contract was with the TA and according to RCI, RCI was unable to discuss the cruise with us at all.

 

Also, with the recent economy, you can read in the posts that if your TA goes bankrupt, your payments may not get posted correctly to your cruise or may not get posted at all.

[trish1c]

NCL is more casual but both lines are fine.

I use a TA when booking over seas flights. I have just never gotten the hang of doing that myself.

For the cruise itself, it's a comfort thing. Either works; pick the one that gives you the best peace of mind.

[julieanne]

After using a TA for this one (online ta), I won't use one again. I like having control over my own booking and dislike having to use a middle man because the cruise lines won't talk with you directly, even after final payment. I would choose NCL if you're looking for a more casual experience, especially overseas. We are traveling to South America and we did not want to pack formal wear with all the baggage restrictions now. They are very similar experiences and both lines have their loyal cruisers so it is sometimes difficult to get an objective opinion :D. Plus, NCL have a really nice romance package you can add on for $79 ;)........

[montekat]

I have done bookings both ways and never had a problem. Usually now I do a lot of research, then book directly with the cruise line. After everything is exactly the way I want it, etc. I transfer the booking to my TA who gives 10% OBC. You can transfer to a TA as long as it's before final payment is due. For an overseas cruise that also involves flights, I have gone with the cruiselines air. RCCL includes transfers with the air, so it was easier for us to let them handle it all. For us the price was very competitive with doing on our own.

[azldw]

Another question - will a CLIA travel agent have better prices or an online agent?

[Toyz711]

if you have a lot of questions, an on-line TA may not be the way to go. we have used a couple, with no problems, but we are very low-key travelers and never had to get questions answered. some only use email and if you have a serious question, waiting for the email can be nerve wracking.

if you want someone to really talk to, someone local or who you know will answer your calls may be best.

we book direct with the cruiseline, now...much easier to be able to call and talk to them direct. when you book through a TA, most cruiseline...especially NCL...won't talk to you, only the TA.

as fas as best prices...no such thing...prices change all the time. find the price you can live with, a good TA should watch for price drops and work to get your price lowered.

[leeanninfla]

Another question - will a CLIA travel agent have better prices or an online agent?

 

 

CLIA is a certification, and some online agents are CLIA certified. The agency most likely is, but agents are also.

 

Some online agencies are only call centers, where others actually have travel agents that work for them, agents that actually take cruises, go on ship tours, and take pride in their work. Others will talk to you every minute of the day and then once they get your money, never talk to you again, send you to customer service.

I think of it this way, yes I work for an online agency, but I also took college classes to get my degree in travel and toursim, Travel Agency Management, but in today's world with everyone trying to nickel and dime people to death, I am not going to open my own office, for people to come in and get all the information that they want, to then go home and book it online, or to call the cruise line to book it themselves. It is bad enough when people call the online agency get all the information, the agent works with them for an hour or so searching several cruises on several lines, and then the person on the phone says OK, well let me talk to my husband/wife/so. You call them back later, when they tell you to, to see if they had any other questions and they tell you they booked it online or direct. WHAT, now you have picked my brain, I have done all the work, and am paid ZERO for doing that. I do not get paid I do not sell something. AND, that is just rude. I know, not much different than going car shopping, but you know what I will do my research, know what I am looking for, not go to the dealership and let them do all the work for hours, only to go next door to buy the same car.

[fideauxdon]

Another question - will a CLIA travel agent have better prices or an online agent?

 

The two aren't mutually exclusive. Most online travel agencies belong to CLIA.

[bobyng]

NCL definitely if you want casual.

 

Talk to cruise line and get price for various cabin grades. Then call an on-line agency and see if they can beat price or benefits.

 

Always pay by credit card!!

 

Be sure to arrange flight so you arrive in BCN at least one day in advance. You can book hotel on-line or the airline or the TA or the cruiseline can arrange it for you. We fly fairly often and the reduction in airplane seating capacity has become quite noticable when a flight is canceled.

 

Have fun.

[azldw]

Thanks to everyone for their help. For this first cruise I'm going to use a local TA, if only for the peace of mind. Hopefully this won't be my last cruise, and once I get my "sea legs" I'll book on my own :)

[yc1]

I can not find a good local TA. The price is high sky. I know more here than what they gave me. It is very disappointed. :D:D

[Luckyroot]

Ironically, the "local" TA around here went belly up a few weeks ago (there were a lot of threads on here about them). Thankfully we never used them. We found a great TA thru this website (via word of mouth) and have used him ever since. He works out of his home, so there's no overhead and much less chance of the agency "going under" during this rough economy. All payments are charged directly from the cruiseline to my credit card, so he isn't holding my funds (apparently a big issue for people who got screwed by the local TA).

 

I like knowing I have a flesh and blood human, with vast knowledge of cruising, available to speak to. If you call NCL customer service, you can get a different answer every time you call.

 

And best of all, he ALWAYS saves me a fortune over booking direct. Most recent cruise booked, he saved me almost $600 compared to the price that comes up on the NCL website for the exact same category!!