Is it better to book through the cruise line or a third party site?

[Elise17]

We're planning to take a cruise next summer. In general, is better to book through the cruise line (Royal Caribbean) or a third party booking site?

 

Thanks,

Lisa 

[Shmoo here]

13 minutes ago, Elise17 said:

We're planning to take a cruise next summer. In general, is better to book through the cruise line (Royal Caribbean) or a third party booking site?

 

Thanks,

Lisa 

"Better" in what way?

 

Often a Travel Agent may give perks for using them to book.  Sometimes not.

 

If you have a problem with the reservation, and you've used a TA, you can't deal directly with the cruise line to solve the problem.  You have to work through the TA.

 

Many people prefer to deal directly with the cruise line for bookings.  Many other people prefer using a TA.  Depends on your comfort level.

[jsn55]

I always book direct; cruises, hotels, air.  I don't want/need a third party in the middle if there are issues.  Online booking services add no value, they just get in the way.  If you need customer service, you will have a struggle to reach a human ... or even a robot!

[GTO-Girl]

I love my travel agent!!  I have his cell phone number and I can get him anytime either by calling, text, email, or FB private message.  
 

after reading about people on hold with Royal for 3-5+ hrs I am happy to let him handle any issues that may arise….😎😎

[donaldsc]

Cruise line booking is OK until you have issues.  Then you have real problems 

 

I will be brief about this as I have told the story recently on other threads.  We had flights booked from Las Vegas through Atlanta to Athens.  We had 3 1/2 hours layover in Atlanta which should have been plenty of time except for major weather delays in Vegas so there was a good chance that we would miss our Atlanta connection.  We texted our TA while sitting on the plane waiting to take off.  She texted back that she would make alternative flight reservations and to check into her when we landed.  We did make the flight but she also had alternative flight on hold just in case.

 

Do you think that you would get this sort of service from RC?  This sort of service is more important to us than saving a few bucks by booking with a TA although the few bucks is nice.

 

DON

Edited November 29, 2022 by donaldsc

[Joebucks]

A TA might be advantageous if you are booking a really expensive trip (they can likely get you more perks) or if you need assistance with what to book.

 

Otherwise, your cheap weekend cruises and whatnot, book them yourself. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

9 hours ago, Elise17 said:

We're planning to take a cruise next summer. In general, is better to book through the cruise line (Royal Caribbean) or a third party booking site?

 

Thanks,

Lisa 

This question has been asked and answered a zillion times here on CC. If you use the “search” feature, you’ll find many detailed explanations of the range of pros and cons (all often related to the type of cruise/cruise line you are considering).

 

FWIW: we maintain a fairly direct connection with our preferred cruise line by initially booking direct with a trusted/long-serving phone sales rep or onboard with the ship’s Ambassador (this latter practice nets us extra perks like a price drop match guarantee plus SBC plus fare discount).

Within the 30 day transfer window, we move those bookings to one of the world’s top selling TAs handling that line’s cruises. This separate step gets us a valuable champion should any problem arise. AND it gets us a significant cash rebate (most recently, a check for more than $2k thanks to commission sharing).

 

You will often read here that some folks book direct to keep “‘control’ of their booking.” That’s a fantasy! Your booking (like mine) is less than a rounding error in a cruise line’s bottom line over the past hour. The right TA, valued as a “preferred partner” by the cruise line you’re considering, books $ millions per month with them. So, while you are on phone “hold” with the cruise line for an hour, the right TA has the regional sales rep as a speed dial. Who do you think will get your “issue” handled quickly and to your satisfaction???

 

All that said, it is true that a several day “boat ride” on a mass market line may not get you much added TA perks (in fact, many of the best TAs won’t even handle low cost bookings). But, if you’re looking at a 5 figure cabin fare, not doing the homework to find a good TA, will often mean that you’re throwing what can be substantial refundable SBC (or a rebate check) down the drain.

 

[Hlitner]

Better?  It depends on how much you like money.  Book through a cruise/travel agent that gives out amenities (such as On Board Credits (OBC) and you have put some money in your pocket.  Book direct with a cruise line and you are simply spending more money.

 

As to how much you save, think in terms of percentage savings which should be in the 7-10% range.  For those of us who do longer more expensive cruises, the savings will often be measured in the thousands of dollars.  For a short much lower cost cruise your savings will usually be measured in the hundreds of dollars.

 

The challenge is to shop around and find the right cruise/travel agency for you.  Some folks need more hand holding and will want a personable agent with whom you can build some kind of business relationship.  Others are fine doing most things online (you can do this with decent agencies or by booking direct with most lines).  In defense of good cruise agents, consider that when you deal with a cruise line you are simply 1 customer out of millions.  When you use a decent high volume agency you gain the clout that the agency has with multiple cruise lines.  Our favorite cruise agent handles dozens of new bookings every day (with many cruise lines) and has the knowledge and contacts to deal with many issues.  If I call a cruise line with an issue I might find myself on hold for an hour, getting different answers depending on who answers the phone, etc.  When I deal with the cruise agents that are currently on my favored list (we use two different agencies at the moment) I can usually send a quick e-mail to handle most issues.  That takes me less than a minute and the agent does the work :).

 

Hank

[cruisemom42]

22 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Finding an excellent TA is no different to hiring employees. It takes time and much shoe leather. Go interview them. The more effort you expend the higher the probability you will find a good one.

 

This; and also, network with other cruise passengers when you're onboard a cruise. People who are happy with their TA are usually willing to share names, contact info, etc.

[ldubs]

4 hours ago, Hlitner said:

 

As to how much you save, think in terms of percentage savings which should be in the 7-10% range.  For those of us who do longer more expensive cruises, the savings will often be measured in the thousands of dollars.  For a short much lower cost cruise your savings will usually be measured in the hundreds of dollars.

 

Hank

 

For the kinds of relatively short &relatively  inexpensive cruises we do, it is typically savings in the $ hundreds like you say.  And sometimes a cabin upgrade.   So far, the only reason we have to use our TA is to save a few hundred bucks.   I'm good with that.   

[donaldsc]

5 hours ago, jsn55 said:

I love my cruise travel agent too!  I was NOT referring to REAL travel agents, I was referring to online booking services.  That's a huge distinction.

 

The question remains ... HOW does a traveller find a good travel agent?  Nobody seems to have the answer to this.  It would be lovely if we all could just post the names of our TAs on Cruise Critic, but I suppose that's not an option.

 

You are right -  posting TA names on CC is not an option.  You will be reported and your post will be removed.  The way we found ours was that we have a friend who does lots of cruising and the recommended that we call her.  The rest is history.

 

Word of mouth is the best way to find a good TA.

 

DON

[jsn55]

8 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

This; and also, network with other cruise passengers when you're onboard a cruise. People who are happy with their TA are usually willing to share names, contact info, etc.

Great suggestion ... and a good conversation starter almost anywhere.  

[Joebucks]

10 hours ago, jsn55 said:

The question remains ... HOW does a traveller find a good travel agent?  Nobody seems to have the answer to this.  It would be lovely if we all could just post the names of our TAs on Cruise Critic, but I suppose that's not an option.

 

As with any topic in life, just because someone you know or even just made an acquaintance with in passing, recommends something, that doesn't make it law. Some people do know. Some people don't. Some people will brag about every decision they make. Just be mindful.

 

Keep in mind, for all of the examples you are given, you don't always receive full the context. Hundreds or thousands in rebates, able to move the sun and the stars, or available 24/7, remember that there are different scenarios. The $15,000 customer is in a different business model than the $1,500 one. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

11 hours ago, jsn55 said:

….The question remains ... HOW does a traveller find a good travel agent?  Nobody seems to have the answer to this….

Use the search feature here on CC. I and others have posted instructions on how to identify a short list of cruise specialist TAs.

However you do it, know that it can be very labor intensive. But the payoff is worth the effort.

[Mary229]

I was rather indifferent to any of these methods :  self booking, travel agent or big travel site, one was as good as the other.  Now with the understaffing and long waits for customer service appear to be the norm I appreciate that my TA has to sit on hold and not me.  
 

[jsn55]

I spent seven years as a volunteer advocate for an online advocacy.  The problems people would encounter with the online booking sites were not to be believed.  Of course, we never heard about the successes.  And at least a third of the issues were created by the consumer himself.  I learned that dealing direct with travel providers is the only way you have a chance to fix a problem on the go ... as long as you know what you're doing in the first place.  We had a mantra:  "Never book travel with any entity with the word 'cheap' in its name".