What's the difference between using a TA and booking yourself?

[cat maran]

This is all really good info. I booked CC last time and my TA gave us $35. I think I missed out on a lot. So, since I just booked online last week, I should consider moving my reservation to a TA? Even if I booked an inside? I know no one can list TAs, but how would I find one that would help me with some decent OBC? I just want my beverages paid for. :)

Think Big Box Retailer.

 

Firstly, neither Celebrity or TA's may offer too much extra with an inside cabin booking. Consider booking an oceanview or balcony that may offer more benefits. Even though the initial cost may be more, with the OBC and drink package you may be ahead when you take the trip cost and minus out the benefits value.

 

With the new Big, Better, Best...choose the BIG option from Celebrity (included with your booking price for an oceanview or higher cabin) and choose the drink package as your one perk. Then consider using your OBC from your TA to cover gratuities, dining, excursions etc. A good TA may offer $150-$700 OBC for an oceanview or higher booking, but of course this depends on the itinerary, specific date, cabin type, and length of cruise.

 

Do the math.

[Gig103]

If you used my TA (a popular membership warehouse), the difference is about a 5% extra OBC.

[ThursdaysChild]

If you used my TA (a popular membership warehouse), the difference is about a 5% extra OBC.

 

Mike are you talking about 5% of the cruise fare when you say 5% extra?

[Gig103]

Mike are you talking about 5% of the cruise fare when you say 5% extra?

 

Sorry for not being more clear. Yes I meant that approximately 5% of the cruise fare is returned to me as a refundable OBC, plus all Celebrity perks. This was for AQ and CC cabins, I dunno if it's an across-the-board bump. Easy enough to check if you do a sample booking.

 

So for example, in 2013 Celebrity was selling a balcony cabin for $1000/pp and 123GO. I got it from my TA for $1000/pp, 123GO, and $100 OBC.

Edited July 25, 2015 by Gig103

[ThursdaysChild]

Sorry for not being more clear. Yes I meant that approximately 5% of the cruise fare is returned to me as a refundable OBC, plus all Celebrity perks. This was for AQ and CC cabins, I dunno if it's an across-the-board bump. Easy enough to check if you do a sample booking.

 

So for example, in 2013 Celebrity was selling a balcony cabin for $1000/pp and 123GO. I got it from my TA for $1000/pp, 123GO, and $100 OBC.

 

Thanks for the quick response Mike. I usually book AQ, often go solo and so pay double, and for the most part book on board and hand the reservation over to my TA. I call the TA when I find price reductions and get that done, and in nearly every case that's the extent of the TAs work on my behalf. Cruise Critic Member CLEguy (Curt) said something in a post that resonated with me..."if I do all the work, I want half the commission".

 

I like my travel agent but I'm leaving an awful lot of money on the table so to speak. I will need to check in with the travel desk at my popular big box warehouse club. ;)

 

By the way, I highly recommend both transpacifics and transatlantics!

[jelayne]

This is all really good info. I booked CC last time and my TA gave us $35. I think I missed out on a lot. So, since I just booked online last week, I should consider moving my reservation to a TA? Even if I booked an inside? I know no one can list TAs, but how would I find one that would help me with some decent OBC? I just want my beverages paid for. :)

 

Do a google search for top 10 online cruise travel agencies in usa - among the results is a Cruise Critic list of of their recommended agencies. One of the 2 agencies I use is on the list. The other company I use isn't a pure travel agency, in fact they sell everything.

 

The OBC/perks you can receive are generally 7-10% of the commissionable cruise fare.

[Gig103]

Thanks for the quick response Mike. I usually book AQ, often go solo and so pay double, and for the most part book on board and hand the reservation over to my TA. I call the TA when I find price reductions and get that done, and in nearly every case that's the extent of the TAs work on my behalf. Cruise Critic Member CLEguy (Curt) said something in a post that resonated with me..."if I do all the work, I want half the commission".

 

I like my travel agent but I'm leaving an awful lot of money on the table so to speak. I will need to check in with the travel desk at my popular big box warehouse club. ;)

 

By the way, I highly recommend both transpacifics and transatlantics!

Good luck finding a deal. Just a heads up from something I read here (not personal experience). Onboard bookings are sometimes (or by default?) assigned to your current cruise TA, so keep that in mind for the next one if you are shopping around. And make sure to ask about change fees, mine charges for price drops, but for me the 5% is still worth it even the one time I paid the fee. No cancellation fees though.

 

As for the trans-X cruises I love sea days so I'm sure I will agree with your sentiments when I finally get around to them - I need more vacation time!

[Keddy72]

Excuse my ignorance as a first time cruiser. But I got in a panic when a couple of weekends ago all the rooms seemed to be selling quickly and phoned celebrity who said they had 2 cc guarantee rooms left, so I panicked and brought. When I got home a few days later OH said that we would have been better booking an allocated room as we would have got drinks package and obc of $300 and room would only have cost £600 more. I rang cc up to see if we could change and they told me that I would have to do a new booming and therefore lose our deposit therefore making it pointless. I have read elsewhere this is not the truth, does anyone know if 1) I can change my booking without losing deposit. I haven't paid the final payment yet. 2) can I transfer to a TA in the UK, who would help? Not even sure if you can transfer to a TA in the UK or if this is just in America . Ty

[wallie5446]

Hello All,

 

I used a TA for my first cruise, but this time I booked it myself. Am I missing out on something? Anything I should watch out for? Booking online was pretty easy.

I am guessing that I will have to check with Celebrity myself when it gets closer to the date to see if there are any cabins to upgrade to. Other than that, what am I missing?

 

Thanks! Julie

 

We have booked direct for the last 10+ years, until this yr. For our next sailing we booked on board last yr, got home and transferred to a TA who upgraded us from our C2 to an Aqua 2 for $170 pp less, kept all 3 perks, and doubled the OBC + $100!

How they were able to do, it I have no idea. The same cabin today is $575 pp higher with NO PERK AT ALL.

[cle-guy]

Excuse my ignorance as a first time cruiser. But I got in a panic when a couple of weekends ago all the rooms seemed to be selling quickly and phoned celebrity who said they had 2 cc guarantee rooms left, so I panicked and brought. When I got home a few days later OH said that we would have been better booking an allocated room as we would have got drinks package and obc of $300 and room would only have cost £600 more. I rang cc up to see if we could change and they told me that I would have to do a new booming and therefore lose our deposit therefore making it pointless. I have read elsewhere this is not the truth, does anyone know if 1) I can change my booking without losing deposit. I haven't paid the final payment yet. 2) can I transfer to a TA in the UK, who would help? Not even sure if you can transfer to a TA in the UK or if this is just in America . Ty

 

I believe in the UK, yes you will lose your deposit. Your Consumer regulations there are different than North america, and as such, come with more restrictions.

 

I have also read the UK passengers have only 48 hours to transfer to a TA, whereas in the US we have 60 days from booking, but must be done prior to final payment, and can not be done once final payment is made.

 

You MAY be able to UPGRADE to a higher cabin category, keeping all you have in place, but you must be willing to pay something for the higher cabin category. That is to say, if yesterday your inside cabin was $200 and today a veranda is $199, you could not make the change, as the veranda is less than your current booking. But if veranda were $201, you may be able to do this, assuming the perks you have in place are currently offered on that veranda cabin.

 

It's a muddy area for sure, with many variables that fall into play that make giving a 100% answer here impossible.

 

Also the low fare guarantee applies only to North American bookings, the UK offered it for a very limited time on a limited number of cruises, but currently it is not applicable.

Edited August 10, 2015 by cle-guy