direct book vs on-line travel agent

[SanFranCruzer]

any perk to book direct?

we are sailing in Nov and booked direct with princess (a suite). we just found an on-line TA offering double on-board spending ($600 extra).

I've been told I can transfer the booking but wondered if there is any downside to doing so?

[Lanz]

We transferred out three cruises booked direct to a TA with no problem.

[CineGraphic]

I know several TAs that would love to have your booking! You may even be able to do better than double obc!

 

 

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[Thrak]

I always book direct and track and maintain my booking most of the way through and then, toward the end of the wait, I transfer it to my TA and he knocks a wad of cash off the price and handles the booking and final payment for me. I like the cash discount on the price and prefer it to the OBC that the big box will give me.

 

I have actually transferred a booking to my TA right after making the booking. He kept track of price drops, upsell offers, etc. When I had a question I called and, if he was out (even across the country) I left a message and got a call back within maybe 5 minutes. I've had him call from across the country even though it was well after business hours where he was located. (His office is actually here in my home town.)

 

There is zero advantage to booking yourself unless you want to handle things to make sure you get the exact cabin your want and don't trust the TA to do so. The advantage of keeping the booking in your own hands is to have full control over the booking. Once it goes to a TA then Princess mostly won't talk to you about things and parts of the personalizer are no longer visible to you (such as remaining balance and the ability to make final payment).

 

Like I said, I like cash off the price of the cruise. If I was more interested in OBC and didn't care that the TA wouldn't do squat for me other than providing that OBC then I would go with the big box as they do provide quite a lot of OBC and it's refundable if not used (although it's refunded as a credit to be used at the big box).

[paul929207]

Before you transfer the booking, check around, You can likely find better deals

[riclop]

Book where you get the best deal.

[Liz54]

We always book with Princess and then search for online deals and transfer to the best offer we get. This has worked really well for us.

[Steelers36]

As others have indicated, I too like the discounts and it's worth it to me to give up some of the control of my booking. I still have enough control - the only thing I wish is that communications would come directly to me and not via the TA since that can introduce a delay if it happens to be something critical. I still get the (now) dumb emails promoting this or that with a paragraph of sales gib-gab and a shadow outline of a head shot and signed by "Your Captain", "Your CD", etc. Used to get the actual face and name.

[geoherb]

The big thing I learned is that if it's after the final payment date when booking, you can't transfer the booking anymore. You can place a hold on a cabin with Princess and then finalize the booking through a TA.

[Micahs Grandad]

We have always asked a couple of TA's for pricing and than booked.

 

What is the point of booking direct and than transferring, seems like savings the same in long run with less work going direct to TA?

[riffatsea]

I suppose I am just used to booking places directly on their web site and not used to shopping around from TAs that I don't know.

So far the offers I have seen from the web site that was suggested have not been better than what I have from Princess directly.

[flcruiser3]

We have always asked a couple of TA's for pricing and than booked.

 

 

 

What is the point of booking direct and than transferring' date=' seems like savings the same in long run with less work going direct to TA?[/quote']

 

 

 

I think people often book directly to secure a specific cabin as soon as sailing dates become available or once they decide to cruise. They then shop around for the best deal at their leisure.

 

 

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[Desert Cruizers]

I book with a local TA and mostly call her office with the sailing I wish. Although I may not get the perks of a large office, her honesty and looking out for my bookings is more important to me. I have been satsified with the prices her office has given me over the years and am able to speak with any of her associates for changes etc if she is out of the office. The bottom line is we are happy with the price we get when booking and any incentives we are also given. Friends of mine use an Online office in Los Angelas I believe.

[touringbee]

I always book direct and track and maintain my booking most of the way through and then, toward the end of the wait, I transfer it to my TA and he knocks a wad of cash off the price and handles the booking and final payment for me. I like the cash discount on the price and prefer it to the OBC that the big box will give me.

 

I have actually transferred a booking to my TA right after making the booking. He kept track of price drops, upsell offers, etc. When I had a question I called and, if he was out (even across the country) I left a message and got a call back within maybe 5 minutes. I've had him call from across the country even though it was well after business hours where he was located. (His office is actually here in my home town.)

 

There is zero advantage to booking yourself unless you want to handle things to make sure you get the exact cabin your want and don't trust the TA to do so. The advantage of keeping the booking in your own hands is to have full control over the booking. Once it goes to a TA then Princess mostly won't talk to you about things and parts of the personalizer are no longer visible to you (such as remaining balance and the ability to make final payment).

 

Like I said, I like cash off the price of the cruise. If I was more interested in OBC and didn't care that the TA wouldn't do squat for me other than providing that OBC then I would go with the big box as they do provide quite a lot of OBC and it's refundable if not used (although it's refunded as a credit to be used at the big box).

 

 

 

[emoji106] I agree

 

 

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[Cruise Raider]

We have always asked a couple of TA's for pricing and than booked.

 

What is the point of booking direct and than transferring' date=' seems like savings the same in long run with less work going direct to TA?[/quote']

 

I sometimes book through Princess as they allow me to transfer it to a TA before final payment. I have full control over the reservation and I have a lot of time to look for better perks that are offered through certain travel agencies. When a better deal or free perks pop up, I lock it in under that agency. One other note is not all travel agents are open on Sundays or have limited evening hours. If I find a price drop during these hours, I want to be able to lock that price in so prefer to call Princess directly.

Also, one of the agencies I use often no longer accepts Amex, whereas Princess does. Whenever Amex sends out a 'spend so much on a Princess cruise and get a statement credit', I put that much down through Princess and then can transfer the reservation over to an agency, even if they may not accept an Amex credit card.

 

So, there are reasons and no real downside to book or transfer to a travel agency ... but I usually just transfer it right before final payment and have found that to work out better for me. It's not hard at all to transfer a booking and unlike Celebrity, where you have to do this within 60 days of the booking, Princess is a lot more flexible.

[myfuzzy]

I gave up on TA's years ago. Yes, it was nice getting that little extra something. But, when I had questions or wanted to verify something, trying to get a hold of the TA and have a three way conversation, forget it. Then getting wrong information. From then on, I just book through Princess. I have a question, call them, ask, if something else comes to mind, I ask...direct questions...direct answers.

[Coral]

So far no cash off the price of the cruise for the cabin I wanted only for lower level cabins that we wouldn't use. Too bad.

 

You are not checking the right places.

 

I use a real cruise travel agent. And get a good discount plus service.

[JLT]

This is an interesting thread because I just got off the phone with a Cruise Personalizer (I think that's what she was called) who told me I couldn't do that. I haven't dealt with Princess before but am interested in one of their longer cruises. I usually sail with Holland America and have booked on board for extra OBC

[JLT]

Oops! Then transferred to a travel agent for lower price and more perks. So I could have done it? Guess she just didn't want to be bothered. Thanks for this information.

[ontheweb]

I sometimes book through Princess as they allow me to transfer it to a TA before final payment. I have full control over the reservation and I have a lot of time to look for better perks that are offered through certain travel agencies. When a better deal or free perks pop up, I lock it in under that agency. One other note is not all travel agents are open on Sundays or have limited evening hours. If I find a price drop during these hours, I want to be able to lock that price in so prefer to call Princess directly.

Also, one of the agencies I use often no longer accepts Amex, whereas Princess does. Whenever Amex sends out a 'spend so much on a Princess cruise and get a statement credit', I put that much down through Princess and then can transfer the reservation over to an agency, even if they may not accept an Amex credit card.

 

So, there are reasons and no real downside to book or transfer to a travel agency ... but I usually just transfer it right before final payment and have found that to work out better for me. It's not hard at all to transfer a booking and unlike Celebrity, where you have to do this within 60 days of the booking, Princess is a lot more flexible.

 

I'm not sure I understand the part of your post that says one of the travel agencies you work with does not accept AMEX. Doesn't the charge go straight to the cruise line? I know that that's what happens with the TA I have been using. And several times in these forums I have read warnings that one should make sure that is what happens as opposed to the charge going to the TA. Since Princess (and other cruise lines) accept Amex, why should there ever be a problem when using the card through a TA?

[Coral]

@Coral, I am using the comparison site that has been mentioned on this thread. Out of 5 offers only 1 was for the cabin class that I have booked.

The others were for a lower category that I would not consider.

 

Two things. I personally would never use that site. Most of them are agents who are not experienced and really need clients. Not the type of agent that I want to use (inexperienced, not busy enough that they have to go seeking clients).

 

Also, if you already have a booking (let's say from several months ago) - pricing may have changed and or category availability may have changed. You need to approach an agent with "I already have a booking with Princess and give them the details and ask how much they can discount from there". This is the only way to compare apples to apples. To compare a booking from months ago with current prices doesn't always work. Also, you can just transfer your existing booking this way. If you are now just asking for fresh quotes - it could be based on entirely different numbers, promos, etc...

[rocky1]

Two things. I personally would never use that site. Most of them are agents who are not experienced and really need clients. Not the type of agent that I want to use (inexperienced, not busy enough that they have to go seeking clients).

 

Also, if you already have a booking (let's say from several months ago) - pricing may have changed and or category availability may have changed. You need to approach an agent with "I already have a booking with Princess and give them the details and ask how much they can discount from there". This is the only way to compare apples to apples. To compare a booking from months ago with current prices doesn't always work. Also, you can just transfer your existing booking this way. If you are now just asking for fresh quotes - it could be based on entirely different numbers, promos, etc...

 

I won't respond to the first paragraph above :halo: or my post will likely be removed as several were removed from this thread yesterday. I will, however, strongly recommend following the advice given in the second paragraph.

[riffatsea]

2nd paragraph advice already taken----- despite that no deal

[MCC retired]

I'm not sure I understand the part of your post that says one of the travel agencies you work with does not accept AMEX. Doesn't the charge go straight to the cruise line? I know that that's what happens with the TA I have been using. And several times in these forums I have read warnings that one should make sure that is what happens as opposed to the charge going to the TA. Since Princess (and other cruise lines) accept Amex, why should there ever be a problem when using the card through a TA?

 

On a plain old cruise reservation ,the TA should be passing your payment thru to the cruise line . The cruise line then eats the credit card fee . It is the cruise line that would accept or reject the credit card type. Years ago CCL would not accept AMEX but now they do.

Unless it is part of some package that the agency put together , beware of a TA that processes your credit card payment inhouse .

[Cruise Raider]

I'm not sure I understand the part of your post that says one of the travel agencies you work with does not accept AMEX. Doesn't the charge go straight to the cruise line? I know that that's what happens with the TA I have been using. And several times in these forums I have read warnings that one should make sure that is what happens as opposed to the charge going to the TA. Since Princess (and other cruise lines) accept Amex, why should there ever be a problem when using the card through a TA?

 

The charge does go directly to the cruiseline but there is a big box agency out there that won't accept it as payment if you use them as your go between. I've tried it ... they only take VISA as that is the card they have a relationship with now through their membership. I was shaking my head, even called back a couple of months later as I couldn't believe they would allow themselves to lose out on that much business. They don't take Amex anymore.