Would you use a travel agent if you couldn't get any perks?

[loriwentworth]

I LOVE my Travel Agent!! Although she is a small agency I never have any issues with getting in touch with her. Perks are nice but 9 times out of 10 she can find the same inclusions or offer something else in return. She makes all my pre cruise reservations, makes excellent recommendations not only for the cruise, but for pre and post hotels as well as local sights and places to eat nearby. Dealing direct with the cruise line I have never been able to get the same agent and I when I had major luggage issues with the cruise line they were less than helpful. I called my agent and even though I had not booked that particular cruise with her she still helped get everything sorted out ( friend had booked the cruise direct with cruise line). I guess I am blessed to have such a great agent.

[ciroon]

I'd hate to lose the option of having a 3rd party for insurance and IF anything goes wrong our travel agent has always been there for US.... We'd rather have someone who knows the cruiseline contacts and get us the best deals. And since we're LOYAL to RCCL here's hoping that things don't change.

[andersj]

Here in Europe we doesn't get offered any perks or OBC on any CL with any agent. We have booked a "Last minute" RCCL cruise from a german agent, but wasn't offered anything than a low price. But after comparing prices from European and US agents i have seen that you pay more for the cruise and then get the perks, when we pay a lower price for the cruise without perks.

[ecec]

I don't think that the cruise lines will be able to handle the additional number of direct reservations if they cut out the middle man, or the service that is received by booking directly with the cruise line will certainly diminish with larger call centers and more inexperienced cruise line agents. Their cost of operation will go up, so what they pay out to TA's will not come back to the customer as it does now with an onboard credit or a free specality restaurant. I personally have had great service from my travel agent and have used the same one for years, not only with perks, but with helping out with issues like clearing seating waitlist for dining and being knowledgable about where to place our elderly inlaws so they are centrally located and near the elevator. It sounds simple, but it is nice to have someone do all of the leg work and all you have to do is pay and enjoy the cruise.

[Kellie Poodle]

Most of the time I book my own either on board or with future cruise certificates (or both). Then I shop for a TA who will give me the best perks. Sometimes I do really well, sometimes I don't get offers I like so I keep my reservations.

 

If there were no longer any perks, there would be no need for me to use a TA. That's a fact.

[Ocean Boy]

I don't think that the cruise lines will be able to handle the additional number of direct reservations if they cut out the middle man, or the service that is received by booking directly with the cruise line will certainly diminish with larger call centers and more inexperienced cruise line agents. Their cost of operation will go up, so what they pay out to TA's will not come back to the customer as it does now with an onboard credit or a free specality restaurant.

 

I am not sure that the call centers would be inundated with phone calls. Plenty of the direct bookers will likely do it themselves on line. There is no need to talk to a call center if you know what you want.

[CoachT]

I don't think that the cruise lines will be able to handle the additional number of direct reservations if they cut out the middle man, or the service that is received by booking directly with the cruise line will certainly diminish with larger call centers and more inexperienced cruise line agents. Their cost of operation will go up, so what they pay out to TA's will not come back to the customer as it does now with an onboard credit or a free specality restaurant. I personally have had great service from my travel agent and have used the same one for years, not only with perks, but with helping out with issues like clearing seating waitlist for dining and being knowledgable about where to place our elderly inlaws so they are centrally located and near the elevator. It sounds simple, but it is nice to have someone do all of the leg work and all you have to do is pay and enjoy the cruise.

You are exactly right. Truly most new and first time cruises haven't a clue of what they want or all of the options or nuances.

 

Places like TripAdvisor or CruiseCritic offer information but that is completely different from knowledge and there is not one poster on either forum willing to put their professional reputation on the line when making a recommendation. You cannot come back and say, well I read on Cruise Critic when something goes wrong or is not the same policy.

 

So many posters with huge numbers of post forget that more people cruise than are registered on cruise critic. Also, the numbers registered on cruise critic is far greater than the number of people who actually post. It is a very small (less than 5%) group compared to the millions who cruise every year or who have never cruised.

[Ocean Boy]

So many posters with huge numbers of post forget that more people cruise than are registered on cruise critic. Also, the numbers registered on cruise critic is far lass than the number of people who post. It is a very small (less than 5%) group compared to the millions who cruise every year or who have never cruised.

 

How can the number of people who are registered on CC be less than the number of people who post when you have to be registered to post? The registered number has to be equal to, or greater than, the number of people who post.

[CruisesOnMyMind]

Rethinking this.

 

,,,,,your are absolutely correct Ocean Boy

[Ocean Boy]

Rethinking this.

 

Good.;)

[cruzin lady]

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Is your lady named Alice, by chance? We live in Garland and might go to the same place.

 

Cruzin Lady

[wolfganghowell]

Cruzin Lady - yep! She is my wonderful escape from reality! ;)

[reeran]

How can the number of people who are registered on CC be less than the number of people who post when you have to be registered to post? The registered number has to be equal to, or greater than, the number of people who post.

 

 

 

Absolutely!!!

[Debde]

How can the number of people who are registered on CC be less than the number of people who post when you have to be registered to post? The registered number has to be equal to, or greater than, the number of people who post.

 

OB-you know you're one of my favs!!!:D

But-cann't you register but never post?

We have registered here on CC:

390767

[UNV-IT!!!]

I'm thinking about using one for the first time. Only because im looking to do a 15 night cruise that starts in one country and ends on another. Neither of which I live in. So I will need airfare and hotels for all different routes plus the cruise. I feel I could do it myself but a TA should be able to get me some great deals if I getting all that stuff through them. Am I wrong?

[MavisMarie]

I admit to not reading all 7 pages of this thread..just skimmed through.

If this has previously been said, I did not see it:

The travel agents are STILL able to discount the cruise fare for Carnival. As you know, are unable to do this for RCI.

In the end, it all works out. Example only: Book a $2000 stateroom on Carnival and the Travel Agency will discount $200 off the price of the stateroom. Book a $2000 stateroom with RCI and the Travel Agency will give you an OBC of $200.

[pdhan]

We only use a travel agent. She does all the leg work and if something

goes wrong, she is the one we call!! We feel that whatever we might pay

extra for her services, it is worth it. I do not have the patience to surf the net trying to find a "deal". Even if I found one, I do not have the expertise to know if it good or not. She knows who to call, comes up with information and we say yes, or go back to the drawing board.

pdhan:)

[cruzin lady]

 

We would never leave them. They are an awesome group of 4. We use one of the men.

 

CruzinnLady

 

 

texascruzinlady@Yahoo.com

[renech]

I only use a TA for the OBC. But that's me.

 

I have friends who don't want to do any of the online legwork for their trips and rely heavily on their TA's every time they travel. So, there is always going to be a need for TA's and the service they provide.

[relaxatsea]

I usually book directly with the cruise line. The times I have used a travel agent it has been an online travel agency and only because they offered OBC.

 

If travel agencies were not allowed to offer OBC, I would always book directly with the cruise line.

[Ocean Boy]

OB-you know you're one of my favs!!!:D

But-cann't you register but never post?We have registered here on CC:

390767

 

Yup. And that is why the number of registered people has to be equal to, or greater than, the number of people who post.

[kitty2boys]

We almost always use the same TA who works in a travel agency in Ohio, (we live in Virginia.) and we will keep using her. She navigates the insurance, gets us the kind of room we want in the location we need, and the dining option we prefer. We sometimes get a modest perk from her - a bottle of wine or a balcony breakfast - but that is not why we use her. We use her because she navigates the system for us. Every time I have gone off on my own, there has been a problem that I have had to deal with and the outcomes have not always been pretty.

 

On the other hand if I were choosing between an on-line agent with a mega on-line company where I always got a different person for each contact, I would deal directly with the cruise ship company. :rolleyes:

[Debde]

Yup. And that is why the number of registered people has to be equal to, or greater than, the number of people who post.

 

Got it now!! ;)

[Daghis]

I'd hate to lose the option of having a 3rd party for insurance

Just because you book directly with Royal Caribbean doesn't mean that you can't use someone else's travel insurance. I regularly go with a third-party provider that's recommended by USAA, even when I have booked directly with Royal Caribbean.

[UNV-IT!!!]

I'm thinking about using one for the first time. Only because im looking to do a 15 night cruise that starts in one country and ends on another. Neither of which I live in. So I will need airfare and hotels for all different routes plus the cruise. I feel I could do it myself but a TA should be able to get me some great deals if I getting all that stuff through them. Am I wrong?

 

Anyone?