Advantages of using Princess Travel Planner?

[nycruiser80]

I once used a Princess planner and had a negative experience. I wanted a window room on Plaza deck on the Caribbean Princess and the agent I was dealing with kept insisting with me to take an "upgrade" to a window room on, I think the Emerald deck, which was obstructed view. I told her that is not an upgrade and I wanted the Plaza deck room. She had very little knowledge of the ship and kept thinking she was doing me a favor. Long story short, I received the confirmation and she moved me, against what she told me, to the obstructed view room. My fault was that I did not look at the confirmation until the next day and they were even fewer Plaza deck window rooms available.

 

I was a travel agent years ago and should have  known to check the confirmation that day. In any event, I now use my former colleague who owns a small travel agency that works through a larger agency. His prices are always the same as Princess however he always gives higher OBC than Princess and gives other freebies like free grats or specialty dinners. All in all I am come out ahead and see no reason to go direct for my needs. If you book early, his place has group space and I book into that making the price lower than Princess. Also note that some large producing travel agencies get preferred fares on certain cruise lines and sail dates so at times I have been able to take advantage of that plus he price monitors for me. It is all a personal preference. Since I was an agent I prefer using one, especially one that is good and is able to offer benefits and superior knowledge. While Princess' agents are very nice many have limited knowledge of what they are selling. 

Edited April 26, 2020 by nycruiser80

[teecee60]

On 4/23/2020 at 9:40 AM, weedpindle said:

No matter who you use to book a cruise, website, PVP, or a TA, the PRICE is the Same. Period. The difference is a TA can give some (how much up to TA) of the commission back as a perk.

 

Totally incorrect information. Period. Many travel agencies offer a lower PRICE, as well as additional perks/OBC.

[iancal]

On a few occasions we have had our TA add us to a group.  We paid less.

 

We only care about the bottom line, ie what we pay net of all OBC's etc.  Our experience is that no matter what cruise line, with only one exception, the TA price has always been less that the cruise line price.  So much so that we don't even bother getting a price for the cruise line any more.  That includes Princess.

 

Buying a cruise is like buying a commodity product to us.  The product, our cabin, is the same no matter where we source it.  For us it comes down to does our TA provide the level of service that we need (minimal) and what is the price.  We are not looking for a new best friend.

Edited April 26, 2020 by iancal

[Expat Cruise]

Never found any always book direct.