A reason to book with a travel agent

[briehon]

I have always booked my trips without the aid of a travel agent. I had traveled all over the world this way. I booked a cruise with rccl and today needed to call regarding a problem with booking a massage online. Wow. Worst customer service experience maybe ever in my lifetime. Once connected with an agent, I explained the issue and he put me on hold for about 2 minutes. He came back and asked the issue again. After explaining it, he went on and on about how it was something I was doing. So I walked him thru what was occurring and he said yeah, the website sometimes has an issue and went on and on about how they are working on that this week. I never got an answer or a resolve or a suggestion or even an alternative to my problem. This guy sounded like he had no idea what was going on with pretty much anything I asked. I finally just hung up because I was getting no where except aggravated. Rccl needs to work on their phone staff.

 

 

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[TYSONBOXER]

I always book threw a TA for the same reason. If there's a problem or question the TA will do all the calling for you. I also save a few dollars booking with TA then on line. Also my TA always gives us OBC. This year I booked a Haven suite and got $400 OBC from TA and $600 from NCL. Can't beat that.

 

 

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[ZackWillis80]

Travel agent may give you a better price, or some perks like drink package or speciality diners in case they match the price of rccl. However, for any inquiries, you have to go through your TA. Rccl won't even try to help. And I heard the TAs are not getting better results with their customer service. So basically you just call the TA and they call rccl.

 

 

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[bouhunter]

It sounds like it was an unproductive call, but "the worst customer service of your life"??:rolleyes:

 

We've been booking direct with RCCL for 10+ years both by phone and online. Every time we've called them for anything the customer service has been friendly and efficient, never a problem.

[DonnaK]

Next time, just hang up and call back to speak with a different agent.

 

I've always found the phone staff to be very helpful (although not always the most knowledgeable).

 

The odds are in your favor that you'll get better service with a different agent.

 

A Travel Agent could also get frustrated, and then just tell you that whatever you were requesting cannot be done rather than calling RCI again. We've had those kind of issues with a travel agent before, and I would rather just handle my bookings myself.

[Thetrail]

It sounds like it was an unproductive call, but "the worst customer service of your life"??:rolleyes:

 

We've been booking direct with RCCL for 10+ years both by phone and online. Every time we've called them for anything the customer service has been friendly and efficient, never a problem.

LOL had to laugh myself, being slightly overdramatic about a spa appointment.....Thank god it wasn't a true emergency....:rolleyes:

[grapau27]

It sounds like it was an unproductive call, but "the worst customer service of your life"??:rolleyes:

 

We've been booking direct with RCCL for 10+ years both by phone and online. Every time we've called them for anything the customer service has been friendly and efficient, never a problem.

Sometimes it is a one off with the agent.

I find ringing back and getting a different agent it is like chalk and cheese.

[voyager70]

Next time, just hang up and call back to speak with a different agent.

 

I've always found the phone staff to be very helpful (although not always the most knowledgeable).

 

The odds are in your favor that you'll get better service with a different agent.

 

A Travel Agent could also get frustrated, and then just tell you that whatever you were requesting cannot be done rather than calling RCI again. We've had those kind of issues with a travel agent before, and I would rather just handle my bookings myself.

 

This.

 

 

Also, I always call the C&A desk as I find they seem to be in general much more knowledgeable and experienced than the regular agents.

[PlanetX]

I honestly don't understand why anyone would book directly with the cruise line in this day and age, other than maybe people not knowing any better. It seems like you get the same deals that are available through the line, plus TA OBC and the added bonus of having someone to deal with problems if and when they arise. Can anyone offer any insight on why you wouldn't deal with a TA?

[voyager70]

I honestly don't understand why anyone would book directly with the cruise line in this day and age, other than maybe people not knowing any better. Can anyone offer any insight?

 

I always book directly with the cruise line. I won't say how many cruises I've been on but let's just say a lot, so I do know better. I like to have total control of the reservation. I can call anytime day or night if I find a price drop or want to make any kind of change to my reservation. And, I really enjoy doing it myself. To each his or her own.

[NateUpNorth]

I honestly don't understand why anyone would book directly with the cruise line in this day and age, other than maybe people not knowing any better. It seems like you get the same deals that are available through the line, plus TA OBC and the added bonus of having someone to deal with problems if and when they arise. Can anyone offer any insight on why you wouldn't deal with a TA?

 

Sure.

Reason: there's some really, really bad TA's out there that put people off trusting an agency ever again.

[4774Papa]

I honestly don't understand why anyone would book directly with the cruise line in this day and age, other than maybe people not knowing any better. It seems like you get the same deals that are available through the line, plus TA OBC and the added bonus of having someone to deal with problems if and when they arise. Can anyone offer any insight on why you wouldn't deal with a TA?

I like to book early and find that the big online TA companies never have my cruise listed. I have gone to one after booking direct and they offered me $150 OBC to transfer to them.

 

I declined the offer, since when i called the online TA and it took him two days to return my call.

 

I like to control my reservation, so that I can take advantage of lower prices. I have saved a lot doing this. I have read on cc of some people having a problem connecting with their TA in time to take advantage of a lower price.

 

Also, I understand that some TA firms charge a penalty for cancellation.

[Geldhart]

I avoid TAs because if I book direct, there is absolutely no finger pointing involved. A TA can't say "it's a RCL problem - call them", and RCL can't say "you have to call your TA". I know exactly who has my money, and who I have to call to get something done.

[bouhunter]

I honestly don't understand why anyone would book directly with the cruise line in this day and age, other than maybe people not knowing any better. It seems like you get the same deals that are available through the line, plus TA OBC and the added bonus of having someone to deal with problems if and when they arise. Can anyone offer any insight on why you wouldn't deal with a TA?

 

As others have said to each their own. We have zero interest in a TA being involved in our reservations and the problems THAT can create:p Whatever perks they might offer aren't enough to interest us in losing the ability to deal direct with the cruise line for price drops, changes, etc. Travel agents are fading away "this day and age".

[Wine-O]

As others have said to each their own. We have zero interest in a TA being involved in our reservations and the problems THAT can create:p Whatever perks they might offer aren't enough to interest us in losing the ability to deal direct with the cruise line for price drops, changes, etc. Travel agents are fading away "this day and age".

 

I like to manage my reservation myself, but I can't seem to want to give up that 10% OBC they give me. :rolleyes:

[grandgeezer]

We've booked 39 (440 days at sea) cruises and all of them were through online travel agencies, with 0 problems. We always book balconies, and above, and every time (except for transAtlantics) we've saved over 12% of the total cost. A few times we were lucky enough to find cruises where they had group rates and that number jumped to 20%. We book at a rate we want to pay so I don't think I've seen a price drop of more than $150 p.p. which wouldn't match the perks we got when we booked. We know what we want and how things work so I've only called the travel agency 2-3 times, total. Price drop is handled via e-mail as well as cabin changes, DONE.

It helps being retired and not tied into a particular week or month, so when we look, we look over a 2-3 month range and find the best deal. I wish I would have kept track of the savings but I would guess it's well over $15,000.

The travel agencies are never going away. I can't picture the cruise lines forking out the money to add hundreds of sales people and building, or renting office space. They are making record profits doing it the way they are now.

[4774Papa]

We've booked 39 (440 days at sea) cruises and all of them were through online travel agencies, with 0 problems. We always book balconies, and above, and every time (except for transAtlantics) we've saved over 12% of the total cost. A few times we were lucky enough to find cruises where they had group rates and that number jumped to 20%. We book at a rate we want to pay so I don't think I've seen a price drop of more than $150 p.p. which wouldn't match the perks we got when we booked. We know what we want and how things work so I've only called the travel agency 2-3 times, total. Price drop is handled via e-mail as well as cabin changes, DONE.

It helps being retired and not tied into a particular week or month, so when we look, we look over a 2-3 month range and find the best deal. I wish I would have kept track of the savings but I would guess it's well over $15,000.

The travel agencies are never going away. I can't picture the cruise lines forking out the money to add hundreds of sales people and building, or renting office space. They are making record profits doing it the way they are now.

We had price drops on our upcoming Celebrity Eclipse TA in October amounting to a $1000 savings. Also, I originally booked the Transatlantic for the year prior and had to cancel. I wonder if I would have paid a Travel Agent a cancellation fee for that?

[NCcruiserstwo]

We always let our TA handle everything once we have decided on cruise and cabin. Back in January 2016 o, n the Grandeur a winter storm hit Baltimore the day before our scheduled return and our cruise was extended by a day. The ship staff opened internet and phone availability for those of us needing to change out bound flights. One phone call to our TA took care of all of this. She e-mailed us with the new flight numbers, seat assignments, and times. Once we finally got off the ship a day later we couldn't fly out of Baltimore because our connecting flights were cancelled. One extra day in Baltimore, with a bad taste in our mouth due to how we were treated trying to get from the port to the airport, we put the city of Baltimore behind us. Our TA helped us fill out the travel insurance claims for the extra hotel and flight surcharges.

 

Oh, did I forget to mention our TA is local, and a friend, and also related to DW.

[Goodtime Cruizin]

cruise compete

 

Since this is NOT a travel agency but rather a clearing house for all Travel Agencies, this should be acceptable. But I use this site and one can clearly tell what TA is good to go and which one isn't.

Edited June 20, 2017 by Goodtime Cruizin

[katiel53]

cruise compete

 

Since this is NOT a travel agency but rather a clearing house for all Travel Agencies, this should be acceptable. But I use this site and one can clearly tell what TA is good to go and which one isn't.

 

I also use them. I have no problem following up for price drops and calling when I find one. I only book through agencies that have no cancellation fees other than the standard cruise line fees and no charges to make changes. I do realize that if the price goes down on my booking, I may lose some of the OBC I get. That stands to reason.

 

I don't feel I need to control every single thing on my booking. I call the agency when I need to, follow up for the changes and go from there. I used to book through the cruise lines, but found I am way ahead doing it this way.

[voyager70]

Bottom line is there is no right or wrong way to book, simply depends on what YOU are comfortable with. We all have different priorities.

[grapau27]

Bottom line is there is no right or wrong way to book, simply depends on what YOU are comfortable with. We all have different priorities.

I do my homework on line then see my TA who gets me a better deal on the requirements i want and they get a commission too so it is a win win for both of us.