I want to put a group cruise together

[Iamcruzin]

3 hours ago, gerif said:

Wow, just wow. Of course, you have the ethics to tell them upfront that you have no intention of using them, just want them to do legwork for you, right?

How else would you compare prices?  You tell the travel agent what cruise that you are interested in and they quote you a price. It's no more work for them than it is for you to look up pricing. Some may have group rates and some may offer OBC. I have never found a travel agent who had a better price than the cruise line and the OBC was so minimal that it wasn't worth booking with them until now.  My big box  warehouse had a promo that offered $250 OBC. I had to pay $24.99 fee plus a $100 cancelation fee if I canceled.  I took a chance and I have to tell you I waited 45minutes on hold to make a payment. My agent never returns calls and there isn't an email address to contact her. This will be a one and done with this agency. I will go back to booking direct next time. 

[vacationlover_mn]

Even though we rarely use a TA (there is just 2 of us), I recommend you use one.  Primarily so that they are the middleman to deal with any requests/changes/etc that people in the group will have.

[vacationlover_mn]

15 hours ago, bluecookies said:

Thank you for the responses so far. Does anyone have experience booking a group directly through RC? I'm a little afraid many of our group members would prefer booking direct through RC. If I organize the group directly through RC can those who use a TA still use them?

Yes- once we had a small group (3 rooms), and booking directly was annoying.  It was a PITA to get us all seated together for dinner.  Wish we would have used a TA for that one...

[tutzig]

14 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

. My agent never returns calls and there isn't an email address to contact her. This will be a one and done with this agency. I will go back to booking direct next time. 

 

Then I would hope you would try a different agent, all my clients have my cell/email and know I will respond as soon as I can.

[GEORGIEGIRL]

On 2/4/2019 at 10:41 AM, Expat Cruise said:

Sorry never found a travel cruise agent who is worth using. As for you get paid, sorry you only get paid like real estate agents when the sale is made.  So you would do all the work because it is the only way to get the business and if you would not ten other agents would. Your in a business that is a dinosaur and dying.  What I said would work and has worked and the greatest thing about it is that the real winner is the customer because they have the best deal.  

Not sure I understand your comparison. Using the analogy of a "Real Estate Agent" and comparing it to a "Travel Agent" are not exactly the same. If I go and look at a house for sale that is being listed by say (insert any real estate companies name here) I then meet with a real estate agent to show me around and do all of the hard work for me. I can't then go directly to the (real estate company named previously) bypass the agent and then ask the agency to get me a better deal. When a customer uses a travel agency and has them do all of the hard work for the customer and then you go and book through the cruiseline directly. That's just ridiculous. I'm sorry that you have "never found a travel cruise agent that is worth using". Not sure where you have been looking. However I was only speaking to good, hardworking, honest agents that do exist and are willing to work for their

reimbursement. As for our "Business is a dinosaur and is dying", not quite sure about that. Been in the cruise travel business for over 20 years now and are still going strong. Yes, the industry may have changed and is constantly changing. That being said, we will continue to fight and claw and do whatever is necessary (legally of course) and work to give the term "Travel Agent" a good name. Even with people like you trying to make it look otherwise.

[Expat Cruise]

4 minutes ago, GEORGIEGIRL said:

Not sure I understand your comparison. Using the analogy of a "Real Estate Agent" and comparing it to a "Travel Agent" are not exactly the same. If I go and look at a house for sale that is being listed by say (insert any real estate companies name here) I then meet with a real estate agent to show me around and do all of the hard work for me. I can't then go directly to the (real estate company named previously) bypass the agent and then ask the agency to get me a better deal. When a customer uses a travel agency and has them do all of the hard work for the customer and then you go and book through the cruiseline directly. That's just ridiculous. I'm sorry that you have "never found a travel cruise agent that is worth using". Not sure where you have been looking. However I was only speaking to good, hardworking, honest agents that do exist and are willing to work for their

reimbursement. As for our "Business is a dinosaur and is dying", not quite sure about that. Been in the cruise travel business for over 20 years now and are still going strong. Yes, the industry may have changed and is constantly changing. That being said, we will continue to fight and claw and do whatever is necessary (legally of course) and work to give the term "Travel Agent" a good name. Even with people like you trying to make it look otherwise.

The comparison to a Real Estate Agent is to value a property. Any Real Estate Agent will come to a property and give you a value in hopes of getting the listing. They provide this service at no costs, yes they do work but it is in hopes of getting the business.  If you ask a Travel Agent for a quote (for 1 guest or 100 guests) they will provide this quote without costs. It is this comparison I was making.  If I get a quote from a travel agent or a real estate agent it is my choice to use them or not.  So in fact you can have the agent do the work for you and then make your choice based upon the best overall deal. 

 

The days of having to use travel agents is really over. 40 years ago if you wanted to book a trip in a far off place you needed to use a agent, you could not find the information. Today with the internet everything is just a few strokes away. A small luxury hotel halfway around the world can have their own website and take direct bookings. I see growth in online applications, which can involve agencies, but no real contact with agents. Cruise lines are finding it is much cheaper to handle travel in house or company agencies than to pay independent agents. Sorry but I stand by my opinion, traditional travel agents are going the way of the house and buggy  

[tinkr2]

23 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

How else would you compare prices?  You tell the travel agent what cruise that you are interested in and they quote you a price. It's no more work for them than it is for you to look up pricing. Some may have group rates and some may offer OBC. I have never found a travel agent who had a better price than the cruise line and the OBC was so minimal that it wasn't worth booking with them until now.  My big box  warehouse had a promo that offered $250 OBC. I had to pay $24.99 fee plus a $100 cancelation fee if I canceled.  I took a chance and I have to tell you I waited 45minutes on hold to make a payment. My agent never returns calls and there isn't an email address to contact her. This will be a one and done with this agency. I will go back to booking direct next time. 

I know who you used I think. I like the deals and have used them but they provide zero service. I got popped 100 for canceling with them and will never use them again. I wish this site could recommend these small personal people that give you their cell phone.( do they exist? } I am already annoyed with American Express who has my current booking. we used them for a free cruise and then booked on board. I forgot they send it to the original agent. And did not notice until too late when I went to make a payment. No great perks from them.