Curious...

[BearPenn2010]

I want to Book the Breakaway for Oct 2016...Is it better to book through a third party agent or through NCL directly...I need to book two rooms and searching around seems like the 3rd party agents offer more incentives than NCL...:)Thanks haven't been on a cruise since '99

[Ms RealBoss]

Its better to book with ncl

 

 

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[Ms RealBoss]

I always book with My Ncl rep, They always have the promos to offer you

 

 

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[Gershep]

I personally prefer booking through NCL.

[BirdTravels]

We book all of our cruises directly with NCL

[TheDougOut]

It's my understanding that NCL pays the independent agent a commission on the booking. Often the agent "shares" the commission in the form of an added incentive, above and beyond what NCL is offering, to the consumer.

 

You're within the final payment period, so the following won't pertain to you. It is possible to book directly through NCL, and then shop your reservation to outside agents to see what else they can give you. If one offer is appealing, and you're prior to final payment, you can submit a form to NCL to transfer your reservation to the outside agency. We've done this for group cruises before, and have secured greater OBC and some other minor amenities.

 

I've never had great luck with NCL's cruise consultants. As such, I have no loyalty to one or to that means of booking. As the consumer, I do my research and go for what's best for me. Sometimes I book through NCL, sometimes I go through an outside agent.

[hbe]

I always book through a TA. She always beats NCL price by hundreds and you also get all the promos that NCL offers.

[philacruisegirl86]

Certain 3rd party are non changeable non refundable...there really is nothing you can do once you book...Really nothing ncl can do either

 

 

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[uncleah]

We always use a travel agent. On our upcoming Panama Canal cruise, we got all the suite perks from NCL and a $600 on board credit from our agent. No way were we going to get that from NCL.

[IsanTom]

Sometimes a TA will have group pricing, which could save you hundreds on your cabin plus extra OBC!

[hawkeyetlse]

You're within the final payment period, so the following won't pertain to you. It is possible to book directly through NCL, and then shop your reservation to outside agents to see what else they can give you. If one offer is appealing, and you're prior to final payment, you can submit a form to NCL to transfer your reservation to the outside agency.

It's possible to do this after final payment, too. But don't use NCL's transfer form. You should just create a courtesy hold with NCL, and don't apply any payment to the booking. Make sure all the details look right, and then call NCL to tell them that your TA is going to take the booking. Then your TA has to contact them before the hold expires. It's actually very easy if you have a TA ready and willing to go along with it.

[philip_eunice1]

Just booked garden villa with ta saved $2500 on Ncl price and getting all the same promo offers Ncl were offering

Always saved with ta either with Ncl or Royal

 

 

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[ColinIllinois]

It's best to book with whoever gives you the best deal. Pretty simple.

[philip_eunice1]

It's best to book with whoever gives you the best deal. Pretty simple.

 

 

 

To true just do the math

 

 

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[AndreaCatSLP]

I booked with a TA and got all the perks offered, plus it was a few hundred less than ncl.

 

 

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[jackie101]

Question, say I am booked with a travel agent and not happy with them. If I transfer my reservation does new travel agent get credit for it?:confused:

[NMLady]

Question, say I am booked with a travel agent and not happy with them. If I transfer my reservation does new travel agent get credit for it?:confused:

 

Yes, but the travel agent you booked with has to authorize the transfer. That is the only way it can be transferred.

[Theresa522]

My upcoming cruise I used a TA and actually saved $700 and still received all the perks. I guess it all depends on who you use and the timing.

[Into Cruising]

The cruise line pays the TA a commission which they share with the client in the way of additional perks.

 

Word for word it is true, but it is not the way it was meant to be, and the cruise lines themselves ask the TA's not to discount their product.

 

The commission is the "salary" the TA gets for doing their job. No different than any sales rep.

 

It is not meant to provide further incentive to clients, and is only supposed to be used in that way to save a sale, not to be used as up front pricing.

 

Anything you get above and beyond what the cruiseline offered to you is coming directly out of the agents pocket. Big volume swellers have the economy of scale to be more than glad to give up some of their commission to get the sale....as some say some money is better than none.

 

I feel for the agents who do not believe in the value of their work or their profession. It is tantamount to someone coming up to you and telling you that you are not worth what you are being paid, and they feel entitled to take some of it from you.

 

Clients say what you do is not worth that much money, but should that not be between the employer and the employee? It really is not any of your business how much an agent makes on a sale. Cruise lines purposefully leave the commission info off of the clients invoice.

 

In practice I agree what was said, take the best offer you can get, even if you beat down the agent into working at a loss. More power to you, and you save money, and eventually TA's who too readily discount the product will go out of business or will be put out of business by the cruiselines, who have warned us that this practice has to stop.

 

OK, let the lamblasting begin by all of you who are more entitled to my "pay" than I am. If I throw in something extra it is a token of my appreciation for your business, not a indication of being held hostage or a showing that I do not believe the cruise is worth the price.