Where to book thomson cruise, online or travel agent?

[wilko-pink]

Hi we have once booked a cruise online and once with the thomson shop which had the £10 admin fee. Has anyone ever managed to get a better deal in a travel agents? Any tips on this? We are looking at a specific cruise in about 8 weeks time. The price has just started to rise online to the top end of our budget. Thanks

[kruzseeka]

We have secured a 5% discount from a High Street agent when we book with them for other cruise lines but they are unable to give a discount or compete with Thomson online prices. But good luck - perhaps there's a deal out there. Have you noticed the thread on here about cash-back sites - that might be a possibility?

[Pensioncruiser]

For many years we used the same TA and obtained some sort of discount, lounge,parking or money off, but over the last 18 months they have been unable to even take off the admin fee, which is £25 not £20, so for the first time we booked online & had a very bad experience so have now reverted back to a TA and take the admin hit just so we can talk to a real person. I believe you can get a reduction on line if you use TopCashback or similar company. If the price is going up on line it will do the same in the TA. Good luck.

[wilko-pink]

Thanks we might just have to go for it online before it goes up more!

[WeeCountyMan]

Online.

 

Thomsons TA will want £25.00 admin fee.

 

You might (big if) be able to convince them to drop this if you are persuasive enough, or offer some other incentive, like choice of cabin at no charge (worth £42) or free car park at airport.

 

Otherwise it's a website reservation.

[Jim The Scot]

Admin fee?We booked our last cruise(may/ June past) at Thomson TA and never paid any fee,it was never even mentioned

[ormy]

Same for us - never paid admin fee, and would always use TA - its someone face to face if things go wrong.

[Pensioncruiser]

You don't realise they are adding it as its just rolled up in the costs, they will tell you if you ask.

[Sheila49]

For many years we used the same TA and obtained some sort of discount, lounge,parking or money off, but over the last 18 months they have been unable to even take off the admin fee, which is £25 not £20, so for the first time we booked online & had a very bad experience so have now reverted back to a TA and take the admin hit just so we can talk to a real person. I believe you can get a reduction on line if you use TopCashback or similar company. If the price is going up on line it will do the same in the TA. Good luck.

 

 

We have had exactly the same experience PC. We use an independent TA and their discount has become less and less each year. Last year they matched the online price. This year they said Thomson were charging them more than the online price so they would be making a loss to match it!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Jim The Scot]

You don't realise they are adding it as its just rolled up in the costs, they will tell you if you ask.

 

I would expect that to be highlighted and not included in full costing.

 

 

Anyway I paid less at my Thomson TA than the online price

[CRUISIN LINDA]

I would expect that to be highlighted and not included in full costing.

 

 

Anyway I paid less at my Thomson TA than the online price

 

Can we all book at your TA Jim? Ours charges £25.:eek:

[Jim The Scot]

Of course you can Linda,tell them I sent you :D

 

Even better,our cruise before Discovery our local Thomsons TA couldn,t match our local Thomas Cook TA price

[Pensioncruiser]

Think we all like to feel we are getting the best deal but so long as we are happy that we have achieved the best we can obtain at the time we should accept that others may do better, personally we book over twelve months in advance to obtain the cruise,flight and cabin but know if we wait we could save.

[Katomerikaf]

Do your research online and then ring around travel agents.

We paid less than the online price and NO admin charge !

OH did ring around to four or five different Thomson TAs around where we live - all coming back with prices that were varied. Some where more than online prices, some matched the price but then added the admin charge and then the one we went for - less than online and no admin fee.

Can't understand why they were all so different but it was worth the groundwork.

[ged1967]

We used to get great discounts by shopping around. However in the last 8 or 9 years or so Thomsons has reduced the commission they pay to TAs therefore reducing the discount you can get.

I still shop around although the discount is minimal, I want the cheapest price.

 

I know with NCL, Cunard, RCI if you book a package separately (flight, cruise, hotel) you can often get good discounts by shopping around as independent TAs often get special rates.

 

Perhaps you could try an independent TA to book a Thomson (cruise only) and arrange flights, hotel separately.

 

Hope it helps

[okavango]

cruise only prices totally crap this year, unless you live in the country they are sailing from pretty much impossible to put a good deal together yourself