To TA or not to TA..that is the question

[newmexicoNita]

The TA I work with gives out all the usual perks bonus OBC and stuff that goes with reserving a

reservation on NCL +PLUS+ added airline mileage from a major air carrier. Miles are doubled

tripled with certain cabin categories.

There is a small agency fee for doing each booking - all the other services are free.

Nice that this agency is a 24/7 operation for getting the best up to date information to keep up

with the changing cruise fares promos perks etc.

Now of course the TA agency can't be named - but it would not be hard to find out - key word

MILES

It is a plus to deal with a TA that takes frequent travel industry discount trips to know first hand

of the many cruise lines that are out there and what they have to offer in accommodations.

our agent is just about like yours except she and her few associates do try and only work M-Sat and do not do much after about 7pm unless it is an emergency. I have found her working on Sundays once in awhile. She too takes a lot of cruises and land trips just to keep up with what is happening.

[Maniacal Cruiser]

There is precious little that a TA can do for you that makes it worth having a 3rd party stuck between you and the cruise line.

[ECCruise]

There is precious little that a TA can do for you that makes it worth having a 3rd party stuck between you and the cruise line.

Very true. When money means nothing to you.

 

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[phoenix1181]

I still haven't gotten an answer to my question. How often do you need to contact NCL after making your reservation? The only thing I can't do is make changes to my reservation. In 20+ cruises , I've made changes 3 times. Any onboard reservations needed don't require my TA so I just don't get it.

 

Being low maintenance has paid off in OBC!

[AmyJA]

Low maintenance here also. But I like my TA, personally and give her my business. It's like cruise insurance. If you don't need it great! But if you do......

 

This is the first time that she has had to go to bat for me. I didn't have to spend the time or energy with NCL to have them fix a $300 mistake that they made. My TA did.........

[whitsmom]

I'm new to NCL but not to cruising (Emerald on RCI); however, my son-in-law booked us a family cruise on the Getaway for November 2019. He called NCL and booked via the phone and we have a NCL TA with a number and a direct extension to him. I had to call him the other day so that I could get set up on line with NCL. He told me that he was our TA for everything and he would take care of us all the way through and during our cruise if need be. I really was impressed with him. I do like to use a TA just for comfort and I have a great one that I have used for years. Just having only one person at NCL to talk to is a true blessing without having to explain stuff to several people before getting to the proper person.

[Maniacal Cruiser]

Very true. When money means nothing to you.

 

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True when someone assumes they know what i pay for cruises. A few measly bucks is not worth having to chase down a TA wait for them to contact the cruise line, then wait for the TA to get back to me, in an almost endless loop if I have any questions, and then maybe getting the exact same outcome that I would have gotten without all that headache. For some people who maybe 1) do not know how to use a computer, 2) do not like spending a few minutes searching around for the best prices, or 3) are afraid of making purchases on-line, yeah a TA can relieve those issues. But I guarantee no TA can get a price lower than I can get on my own or match the amenities that I receive.

 

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[pghflyer]

I'm not sure we all are using the term "TA" in the same way. Unless a person literally books themselves through the NCL website and purchases the list price offer, then a "TA" has been used.

[Maniacal Cruiser]

I was told that is a cruise is canceled NCL gives 50% off and because the TA owns the reservation, they don’t always give it to the consumer.

 

 

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There is no set and fast rule is what happens when a cruise is cancelled. There is also no set and fast rule on how a given TA might handle whatever happens when a cruise is cancelled. I have no idea who told you this but it sound like a case of selective listening at some point.

[Maniacal Cruiser]

I'm not sure we all are using the term "TA" in the same way. Unless a person literally books themselves through the NCL website and purchases the list price offer, then a "TA" has been used.

 

Not true at all.

[Shoppie124]

There is no set and fast rule is what happens when a cruise is cancelled. There is also no set and fast rule on how a given TA might handle whatever happens when a cruise is cancelled. I have no idea who told you this but it sound like a case of selective listening at some point.

 

 

 

Being new to cruises, I came here to get assistance not to be insulted!

 

That may be something you do on a regular basis with others but I will not tolerate it. I do not have selective listening. I am a licensed professional who does not deserve to be talked to like your grandchild.

 

What I stated is exactly what I was told, PERIOD. There is nothing selective about it. You should be ashamed of yourself trolling to insult people who are asking to verify something they heard to see if others have had that experience!!!

 

 

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[reaton]

These are all good questions to ask a TA you are considering. On my last cruise, my TA performed the booking, and then I was able to do everything (including communicate with NCL). There was nothing that I couldn’t do that I could have if I’d booked myself.

 

For this next cruise I’m using a TA that specializes in cruising. It is a different line, but the rate I received was SIGNIFICANTLY less than the cruise ship rate.

 

I enjoy the planning parts of a vacation, so I always compare what I’m offered direct from the vendor (cruise line in this case), or with a TA.

 

 

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[Maniacal Cruiser]

Being new to cruises, I came here to get assistance not to be insulted!

 

That may be something you do on a regular basis with others but I will not tolerate it. I do not have selective listening. I am a licensed professional who does not deserve to be talked to like your grandchild.

 

What I stated is exactly what I was told, PERIOD. There is nothing selective about it. You should be ashamed of yourself trolling to insult people who are asking to verify something they heard to see if others have had that experience!!!

 

 

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Nothing I said was an insult in any sense of the word. If you chose to take it that way well that is on you not me. I am never ashamed to speak truthfully. I have no idea what your license has to do with anything being discussed, I am happy that you got whatever license it is you have!

[lenquixote66]

Why do you use a TA vs booking direct? I was warned by NCL that you won’t be eligible for an upgrade if you use a TA. They also told me if the cruise is canceled by NCL they give incentives and the TA sometimes keeps them.

 

Anyone with experience?

 

 

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Our TA gives Loyalty points for every cruise booked .The points can be accumulated to be used on future cruises or as OBC .For example we had $350 in points that we used on our last cruise .

Our TA also gives OBC and gifts .One time we got a quality pair of binoculars .

[Maniacal Cruiser]

The bottom line is whatever works out best for each of us it what we each should do. There is not pure better or worse as is the case with most things in life...

[Toofarfromthesea]

Not true at all.

 

So what is the third way, sensei? Enlighten us on how to book without using a TA or going directly to the cruise line.

[Maniacal Cruiser]

So what is the third way, sensei? Enlighten us on how to book without using a TA or going directly to the cruise line.

 

 

Many ways have been discussed on these forums. Just because your source is not the cruise line does not in and of itself make them a TA.

[newmexicoNita]

There is precious little that a TA can do for you that makes it worth having a 3rd party stuck between you and the cruise line.

this may be true for some, especially those who are very controlling but, at the same time I can give examples of situations where if the passenger had used an agent the cruise would have gone more smoothly.

[*Luv2Cruz*]

Happy with my PCC[emoji6]

 

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[Shoppie124]

After careful consideration, we decided to give the TA a try. Not knowing who to use, we used the website where you can get multiple quotes for the same cruise. I then looked into each of the TA's. I received 4 quotes as follows:

 

1. Agency 1, Agent 1 (good price about 10% off)

2. Agency 1, Agent 2 (good price about 10% off but a different number than #1)

3. Agency 2 (good price about 10% off)

4. Agency 3 (same $ as NCL but more OBC)

 

I reviewed each of their BBB reports. I didn't find anything concerning.

 

Agency 1: spoke to Agent 1: She answered most of my questions but seemed too eager to get my money. Every other statement was "would you like me to book that". She also was the agent that told me I wouldn't get Latitudes points for the trip because it was discounted. When I asked her why Agent 2 gave me a slightly lower price than her she right away said, "I'll match that - can I book that for you".

 

Agency 2: Spoke with an agent who answered every question I had. She told me the Latitudes points are between the customer and NCL but she had never heard of anyone not getting them. She was patient and never once tried to pressure me into a deposit.

 

Agent 3: their deal was ok but not as good as 1 & 2.

 

We decided to book with Agent 2. She gave me her direct number and told me what to expect.

 

1. An invoice for the cruise listing all the passengers in our booking, please check the information

2. Information regarding trip insurance

 

She told me once I got the CruiseNext certs to call her back so she could apply them. She also told me she was on PTO Thursday and Friday - I could call but wouldn't speak to her or I could call on Monday. She even told me I had two options for canceling with NCL (my original reservation):

 

1. Cancel directly with NCL

2. Transfer the reservation to them and they would cancel it for me.

 

I opted for 1 since it wasn't worth it for $175 to transfer the reservation to the TA

 

What happened next surprised me

 

We had originally booked a mini suite direct with NCL. It took a day for the reservation to appear and four days for the deposit to appear.

 

With agency 2 we booked a Haven penthouse.

 

I was on the NCL site trying to see if I could cancel online, I was unable to find how to do it without calling. And then it happened, the reservation from Agency 2 was there. It allowed me to add excursions, gifts, etc just like my reservation with NCL.

 

So for those who like to do their own planning, you still can!!! I was pleasantly surprised. The only thing you can't do is pay off your reservation on the NCL site.

 

It's not about being cheap or frugal

 

Don't get me wrong the $700 I save will no means break the bank but I look at it as follows:

 

That's $700 more I have for tips, ice cream (guaranteed my DD could spend that.. need to figure out how to get her a limit on what she can spend - but that's another thread), excursions, etc!!!

 

Hope this helps those who are on the fence or who have never used a TA!!!! :)

[phoenix1181]

Good job Shoppie124!

 

I found my TA the same way. If you were to decide to change cabins, your TA will have to make that call but other than that, as you've seen, you can handle everything else.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[Shoppie124]

Good job Shoppie124!

 

 

 

I found my TA the same way. If you were to decide to change cabins, your TA will have to make that call but other than that, as you've seen, you can handle everything else.

 

 

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

 

 

Thanks!!!

 

 

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[pmoniz]

After careful consideration, we decided to give the TA a try. Not knowing who to use, we used the website where you can get multiple quotes for the same cruise. I then looked into each of the TA's. I received 4 quotes as follows:

 

I wish you could share what website you used!

[pghflyer]

Just search for compete cruise quotes, definitely the top result on Google

 

Nice summary and congrats Shoppie124 - I have always saved many hundreds doing pretty much what you described and it gave me no limitations on what I could do with my reservation

[Shoppie124]

After careful consideration, we decided to give the TA a try. Not knowing who to use, we used the website where you can get multiple quotes for the same cruise. I then looked into each of the TA's. I received 4 quotes as follows:

 

I wish you could share what website you used!

 

 

Just Google "Cruise Comparisons" - this site I used is in the top 10 sites after the ads at the top.