TA or without TA that is the question?

[varoo]

In most cases we find it pays to give our booking to a TA.

 

But when we are able to pick up some of those special category rock bottom prices, the travel agents are unable to offer sufficient benefits to make it worthwhile

(unless it happens to be a great group rate offered by a TA).

 

 

Out of our last 3 cruises, we booked 2 of them with 2 different travel agencies and the third directly with the cruise line.

 

 

Edited June 15, 2015 by varoo

[plan09]

When booking a future cruise OB, is their any advantage or disadvantage of the booking being transferred to a TA?

 

So far I have found that any queries or changes that have to be done - the TA consults with Celebrity & gets back to me a little later with the reply.

If I don't use the TA I can get reply direct from Celebrity immediately, without the middleman.

 

If cruises are not booked OB, it could it be that the TA have specials to encourage custom, sacrificing perhaps some of their commission & hoping to get the custom for flight deals, so cruises could be offered cheaper than the Celebrity prices?

 

I understand once, that when prices fell after final payment the TA could get OBC or upgrading. Do they have this advantage, or is it the same without a TA?

 

Am I missing something, should I always have a TA to back me up.

 

Thanks

 

I had the same questions. I have actually changed my booking from a TA who was more of a booking agent (I looked at the cabins, watched for prices alerts, found air fare) to a Celebrity expert TA. My new agent responded to my original inquiry with an hour long phone call on a Saturday night and has never taken more than a few minutes to respond to any one of my numerous emails. I am getting more OBC and a better deal by going through a knowledgeable TA who is very vested in her owner/business.

Cruising is confusing! I am glad I found an expert.

 

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