Book direct or with a travel agent?

[Janet-]

Are there any advantages booking direct with Saga instead of with a travel agent and receiving a discount? 

[Glenndale]

Prices sold through TAs and Saga are generally the same. You may get some OBC but in my experience it is better to book direct.

If you want to get the best price book early  🙂

[Kohima]

It’s hard to see what advantage there would be in using a travel agent to book with Saga. Why complicate things with an intermediary? It’s normally very easy to book direct with Saga over the phone or online. Most of all when things go wrong, as they have done over the past year, Saga is pretty reliable in sorting out refunds or changes. From what I have read, some travel agents have not been so prompt or accommodating.

[Kohima]

Unless of course the discount is really substantial!

[Windsurfboy]

Looking at advert in today's paper , no extra discount just a few bottles of wine.

 

Saga direct are good to deal with

[Janet-]

13 hours ago, Kohima said:

Unless of course the discount is really substantial!

It looks to be about 5%

[Tothesunset]

We have booked with an agent to get the value of £300 worth of accumulated cruise miles. Can't, of course, access the booking on the Saga website. Would book direct if not for using up the cruise miles. 

[Janet-]

Can you elaborate please. Is this a disadvantage that you can't access the booking.

Edited May 13, 2021 by Janet-
missing quote

[Glenndale]

Everything has to be done thru the TA even booking excursions. 

Regarding the 5%, are the TA's figures up to date? As more cabins are sold in a category the price increases by 5%.

If you know someone who has previously sailed with Saga ask them to introduce you and you will both get a 10% discount. You don't have to be sailing on the same cruise.

[Tothesunset]

2 hours ago, Janet- said:

Can you elaborate please. Is this a disadvantage that you can't access the booking.

Yes because I must give control of pick up etc to the TA. I'd much rather be able to make and implement things myself directly with the cruise line. If you want a job done right.... and all that. 

 

Some lines will allow access to the booking online even if the booking has been made through a TA. Silversea allows this as does Cunard. 

 

But I'm sure the TA will be fine. 

[Janet-]

I see now. Obviously if its only a few pounds different then it's much better to keep control but a few hundred each then it's a different ball game.

 

I'm only just considering a Saga cruise at the moment but take on board Glenndale's point about the price going up as more cabins are sold. I've not yet spoken to  our TA so don't know if the prices on their web site are "live".

 

Some years ago a subsidiary of Saga had a ship called Spirit of Adventure, just under 10000 tons. We cruised with them to Antarctica so I don't think we qualify for the new to Saga discount.

 

Thank you all for taking the time to respond.

[NorbertsNiece]

I have a terrific TA. Very efficient and easy to communicate with. Far easier than holding on line for Saga to pick up! 

[Sunday golf]

Getting through to Saga is a nightmare. Had a number of attempts taking over 45 minutes. A TA is much easier. So if you want to interact with person on the details then a TA every time. You also get it slightly cheaper. The worst cruise line must be Silversea get through quite quickly but they charge 7p per minute. Again use a TA!

[Windsurfboy]

32 minutes ago, Sunday golf said:

Getting through to Saga is a nightmare. Had a number of attempts taking over 45 minutes. A TA is much easier. So if you want to interact with person on the details then a TA every time. You also get it slightly cheaper. The worst cruise line must be Silversea get through quite quickly but they charge 7p per minute. Again use a TA!

 

Never pay premium  telephone , use website to find alternative normal number.  CC rules mean I can't advertise website but the are a few that find alternative to 0870 numbers

[Kohima]

Before the pandemic we never had any problems easily contacting Saga direct. Unfortunately there has been a perfect storm recently of increased customer demand and fewer Saga staff (many were made redundant), of whom most are still working from home. Additionally there have been constant changes of itineraries and regulations due to changing Covid circumstances so it must have been a complete nightmare.

 

[Janet-]

We booked via a TA and got a 7% discount. Well worth putting up with not being able to access the booking on the web.

The wait for Saga to answer the phone is unacceptable whatever their problems. I wonder how many people gave up and booked with a different company.

[Kohima]

Agreed, it is unacceptable as it will lose them potential trade. Perhaps they need to re employ some of their former staff?

[piscean]

I also saved around 10% (not including insurance) with my TA for  a Christmas cruise 2022.

My TA is always available and helpful.They make payment direct to the cruises lines, they sell the whole cruise package, not cruise plus flights and transfers like a Northern company. They were very difficult to deal with last year when my cruises were cancelled.

I will never use them again.

I have generally found my TA’s prices very competitive.

 

 

[Glenndale]

3 hours ago, piscean said:

I also saved around 10% (not including insurance) with my TA for  a Christmas cruise 2022.

My TA is always available and helpful.They make payment direct to the cruises lines, they sell the whole cruise package, not cruise plus flights and transfers like a Northern company. They were very difficult to deal with last year when my cruises were cancelled.

I will never use them again.

I have generally found my TA’s prices very competitive.

 

 

Has the TA who is always helpful had to refund any money due to cancellations to you or have you rolled over bookings?

As you get older and have a few minor health problems the cost of insurance can be around 10% of cruise fare, especially for the Caribbean and America.

 

To all of you advocating a TA how did they respond during Covid?

My wonderful TA who I had used for over 12 years was powerless when the large company he worked for furloughed many of the staff and took 6 months to refund a fully paid up cruise which was due to depart on the 30th March 2020.

It took a section 75 to finally have our money returned.

Since vowing to book direct I have had cruise monies of cancelled cruises returned in a timely fashion i.e. within 14 days.

You only get a real measure of a company when they have to respond to a crisis.

Edited August 20, 2021 by Glenndale

[Kohima]

Well said.

[happyboomer]

If you are a US citizen what is the best way to book? 

[piscean]

When I quoted without insurance I should have clarified that the insurance could be added after the discount . 
insurance is indeed difficult after  a certain age …i currently have a banks (monthly charge) which covers all ages (my husband is 83) with  worldwide cover. I previously had Saga (different to the included Saga cruise insurance)

the TA who is always helpful has refunded 7 cancelled cruises promptly, unlike the Northern Agency….i too put in a section 75  although they took so long the Agency eventually paid after several months.