A good Travel Agent is . . .

[Ourusualbeach]

1 hour ago, John&LaLa said:

 

It's like an inaugural cruise price wise.  

 

Are the subsequent cruises quite that high?

The first 3 day in December is $1100.  First week February $1000

[lovescats5]

I found a new TA and wish I could transfer all my current bookings to him.  He looks for what I am interested in and then I hear that these cabins are reserved and I should choose one.  Our current, soon to be no longer used, TA is one of those who waits for you to call and tell him what you want (just like the one Siren had) and he is always out of the office when I want to talk to him.  Can't wait for everything to go thru our new TA.  Was going to send you an email but know you will read this.  Got out deposit credited back last week.  Thanks for all the work you do.

[loman]

15 hours ago, siren said:

Your very lucky to have a TA that did that.  I see price drops and call my TA and she's out of the office and no one can do it.  Of course the price went up by the time she got around to hearing my message. That is why I don't use TA's anymore.  Seems I do better booking on my own.

Sounds like the one i had . Mine was associated with the credit card i was using and i would get triple points if i booked travel vacations with it .

I would book the cruise and then transfer to her , so not much work on her end.

Whenever there was a price drop i would call and email and she ignored both.

 

Switched cards and went back to booking my own cruises and when i see price drops RC would take my call and make the adjustments . I have a cash back card with a benefit of them changing a tire or giving me a boost if i ever needed one . 

 

This card suits me just fine and wont ever use a TA again.

I am sure there are good ones out there and good luck to the people using a not so good one.

[CaroleC]

.....one who responds to your voice messages/emails in a timely manner (unlike mine 🙄)

[notmyrealnameoremail]

1 hour ago, Heymarco said:

obsolete. It’s something an app can do.

 

I'd love to know what App you use that knows the right person to call at Royal when your 87 year-old Dad forgot his passport and boarding starts in an hour?

 

And don't tell me that won't happen or no-one can do anything about it. It happened and our TA talked to the right person and figured out a way for him to cruise.   

 

Oh by the way, our TA wasn't the TA for that booking because it was booked before we started using him.   He did it as a complete courtesy.  My dad passed away a couple of months after that and it was the last chance I had to see him.

 

So yeah, I will be his client as long as he will have me.

 

Tom

[notmyrealnameoremail]

3 minutes ago, Heymarco said:

Very sorry for your loss.

 

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mobile-passport/id907024887

 

 

Thank you. 

 

That looks like an interesting App, but you still need to have your passport with you.

 

From the description:  "

Notes

MOBILE PASSPORT IS NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR YOUR PASSPORT. YOU MUST CARRY YOUR PHYSICAL PASSPORT."

 

Tom

[taglovestocruise]

6 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

The first 3 day in December is $1100.  First week February $1000

You found a much better price.. This was from this morning. Deck 9 2B This is with out the C&A discount. Dec 3rd

CRUISE PRICING

TRAVELER	TRAVELER 1	TRAVELER 2	TOTAL
Fare	$711.00	$314.00	$1,025.00 USD
Taxes and Fees	$96.51	$96.51	$193.02 USD
Subtotal	$807.51	$410.51	$1,218.02 USD
Total $1,218.02 USD

Payment Schedule

Deposit Due

April 17, 202102:05 PM EDT

Deposit Due Amount

$200.00 USD

Balance Due

September 19, 202105:00 PM EDT

Deposit Due Amount

 

 

Edited April 17, 2021 by taglovestocruise

[Ourusualbeach]

39 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

You found a much better price.. This was from this morning. Deck 9 2B This is with out the C&A discount. Dec 3rd

CRUISE PRICING

TRAVELER	TRAVELER 1	TRAVELER 2	TOTAL
Fare	$711.00	$314.00	$1,025.00 USD
Taxes and Fees	$96.51	$96.51	$193.02 USD
Subtotal	$807.51	$410.51	$1,218.02 USD
Total $1,218.02 USD

Payment Schedule

Deposit Due

April 17, 202102:05 PM EDT

Deposit Due Amount

$200.00 USD

Balance Due

September 19, 202105:00 PM EDT

Deposit Due Amount

 

 

I think I looked at a 2D or 4D

[Sailing12Away]

I have yet to find one that is worth it. Tried using one to book my first RCC cruise this October since we've never really sailed with them before and weren't familiar with the promos/perks/beverage packages/dining packages, etc. They came back and gave me the exact same price I found online if I booked it myself, no bonuses at all and didn't even add in the drink package like we asked. Still not convinced they're worth their weight in margaritas.

[Cruise a holic]

Some travel agents charge a fee or penalty if you cancel your cruise.  Some do not participate in move up programs.  You need to ask questions before you hire.  Also always pay by credit card.  I am also afraid because of the travel industry, they might go out of business. I would assume using my credit card will protect me, but who knows.  

 

I also like to have 24/7 access to my reservation- 

[toad455]

I've had the same travel agent for 25+ years now. Such a great asset for any vacation I've booked and been on. I dread the day she decides to retire. Always great at finding the best deals, re-booking cruises when prices drop, any land vacation I've done has been very smooth. If something goes wrong just before a vacation or even during, she's been wonderful in handling it. Don't know why some people don't use a TA these days.

[Sailing12Away]

8 hours ago, toad455 said:

Don't know why some people don't use a TA these days.

I just got off the phone with a TA that came recommended by a colleague, and I told her to cancel the held booking she had for me and I would do it myself. 

 

I guess it comes down to what a person is comfortable doing on their own. People like my parents want to go to a TA and say "We want to take the grand kids to Disney and we have a budget of xyz". Then *poof* you get an invoice for exactly xyz and you have a great time with no thinking or effort on your part.

 

Then there are people like me who come in and yell at people like my parents because for what they're getting for xyz money they could have gotten something even bigger/better for half the cost with a little research. My biggest gripe with the TA's I've tried working with in the past is that they don't offer a good/better/best option. You have to question them for other options or find things on your own and then you're doing all the work with no benefit. 

 

The conversation just now was to help us book a RCC trip as we've never sailed with them before. No extra perks, no OBC, no benefit whatsoever to have the TA book it rather than myself. So I'd rather have control over the booking. If she was able to throw us some money to offset the drink/dining package or gratuities then I would have gladly let her control it - but there was zero benefit to me of having it in her name.

[loman]

9 hours ago, toad455 said:

I've had the same travel agent for 25+ years now. Such a great asset for any vacation I've booked and been on. I dread the day she decides to retire. Always great at finding the best deals, re-booking cruises when prices drop, any land vacation I've done has been very smooth. If something goes wrong just before a vacation or even during, she's been wonderful in handling it. Don't know why some people don't use a TA these days.

 I dont use a TA because i dont get the same level of service as you do.

And i am too lazy to try to find one , so i do it myself.

Whats that old saying ... nobody looks after you better than yourself.

[notmyrealnameoremail]

On 4/16/2021 at 11:07 AM, notmyrealnameoremail said:

very, very nice to have.  I got an email from mine a few minutes ago s saying they were on the phone with Royal because it looked like there  were price drops on both parts of our B2B out of Nassau.  Before I could type this, I got another email with new invoices because our prices went down by a total of $468. Now I'm trying to figure out what rum drink I should make to celebrate.

 

I need suggestions.

 

Tom

Ok, he found more price drops on the same B2B cruises,  $472 this time.  August 28, 2021 and September 4, 2021.  Adventure out of Nassau. Add the price drops from before my post above and our airfare and pre cruise room at the Atlantis  are covered.

[HUNKY]

Just repriced again for the third time!  Saved $300 this round, for a total of $610.00

 

Original $1,864.38, then $1,764.38, then $1,554.38...and today $1,254.38!

 

Now if those overwater cabanas at Coco Cay would just come down a little.

[RCCL Fan]

A good travel agent is.... one who had been laid off from her company for more than a year but still secretly takes my calls and texts even though she's not allowed to and isn't making a dime off of it. 

[George C]

On 4/16/2021 at 10:11 AM, davekathy said:

...very, very hard to find. 

Very true, I have had a few in the past , now that I don’t it is just easier booking on my own. 

[davekathy]

52 minutes ago, George C said:

Very true, I have had a few in the past , now that I don’t it is just easier booking on my own. 

Agree. I do all the leg work and then book directly with the cruise line either over the phone (not that I don't trust the cruise lines websites, 🤣) or while onboard at the future cruise desk. Then I'll search for a TA (usually online) that will sweeten the deal. If not I leave the booking with the cruise line. 

[suzyluvs2cruise]

On 4/17/2021 at 4:00 AM, John&LaLa said:

 

It's like an inaugural cruise price wise.  

 

Are the subsequent cruises quite that high?

Would be nice if there was a pre-inaugural like they had when Mariner came to LA. We're booked for Jan 17 7 night and prices are a lot higher than what they were when we first booked. I've also noticed the bigger gap in price between balcony and JS/higher cabins