Why Book Through A Travel Agent?

[meanmom08]

Are there advantages to booking through a travel agent as opposed to booking directly through the cruise line?

[puppycanducruise]

Our travel agent usually gives us some OBC and dinner in a specialty restaurant.

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

48 minutes ago, meanmom08 said:

Are there advantages to booking through a travel agent as opposed to booking directly through the cruise line?

While, when it comes to air travel, we always DIY, we do use a TA (always) for cruises.

WHY?

Here’s an example: 
Oceania often provides TAs and TA Consortia pass-through incentive funds to cover things like the cost of gratuities (for folks who don’t automatically get them based on their O Clib status). If you see covered gratuities on your Oceania invoice with a notation that says both your TA’s (and/or) TA’s Consortium’s name(s) plus the acronym “OCAPP,” it’s Oceania providing those dollars.

 

Oceania also has rotating “quiet sales” that move amongst its Connoisseurs Club and Preferred Partner TA members (this is in addition to its own published sales).

 

Also, Oceania pays TA commissions on a sliding scale. So, it’s important to work with TAs who provide great service, sell a lot of Oceania and are willing to share commissions with its customers. 

We have found that many of O’s top TAs will provide to their clients a cash rebate and/or refundable SBC ranging from 5-10% of the commissionable fare.

[Sea42]

25 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

While, when it comes to air travel, we always DIY, we do use a TA (always) for cruises.

WHY?

Here’s an example: 
Oceania often provides TAs and TA Consortia pass-through incentive funds to cover things like the cost of gratuities (for folks who don’t automatically get them based on their O Clib status). If you see covered gratuities on your Oceania invoice with a notation that says both your TA’s (and/or) TA’s Consortium’s name(s) plus the acronym “OCAPP,” it’s Oceania providing those dollars.

 

Oceania also has rotating “quiet sales” that move amongst its Connoisseurs Club and Preferred Partner TA members (this is in addition to its own published sales).

 

Also, Oceania pays TA commissions on a sliding scale. So, it’s important to work with TAs who provide great service, sell a lot of Oceania and are willing to share commissions with its customers. 

We have found that many of O’s top TAs will provide to their clients a cash rebate and/or refundable SBC ranging from 5-10% of the commissionable fare.

This is hardly unique to Oceania.

[Hlitner]

2 hours ago, meanmom08 said:

Are there advantages to booking through a travel agent as opposed to booking directly through the cruise line?

One should always shop around for the best overall deals and compare reputable cruise/travel agency offers with what is offered if booking direct with the cruise line.  But to give you a perfect example, we recently booked an 18 day cruise on a luxury cruise line.  By booking through one of our favored cruise agencies we were able to get $2200 of On Board Credit that would not have happened if we had booked directly with the cruise line.  

[tomcherv]

I used a travel agent to book my next cruise - I don't know how, but her quote was over 1500 less than what I would have been able to do myself (13 nights balcony cabin)

 

I do like doing things myself (I did for our 3 week trip to Ireland), but for cruises, I'll always use my TA

[mom says]

Short answer - yes.

[Korimako]

Not wishing to hijack this post, but I was thinking of asking the very same question. What I would like to know is, if it's better to book through an agent, how do you find one? As I don't live in N America, I'm a bit concerned that local (i.e. New Zealand or Australian) cruise agents might only concern themselves with Australasian cruising, when we're actually interested in Northern Europe.

We're not cruisers - only done a trans-Pacific repositioning years ago as an alternative to a flight from the US, so we have zero experience of the kind of service a TA could provide.

We haven't used a travel agent for years, booking directly with airlines and hotels on our annual migration from the southern to the northern hemisphere!

I know it's forbidden to recommend anyone, but some pointers as to where to start looking would be helpful!

[lenquixote66]

We had a TA who gave gifts for each cruise booked with her.For the first cruise we each received Travel Bags.

For the second cruise we received good quality binoculars.

For the third cruise we received a piece of luggage.

Then our TA got married and her husband stopped the gift giving.

 

Our next TA offered free insurance.

[Korimako]

Very interesting, but not really what I asked!🙂

[Toofarfromthesea]

18 hours ago, Korimako said:

Not wishing to hijack this post, but I was thinking of asking the very same question. What I would like to know is, if it's better to book through an agent, how do you find one? As I don't live in N America, I'm a bit concerned that local (i.e. New Zealand or Australian) cruise agents might only concern themselves with Australasian cruising, when we're actually interested in Northern Europe.

We're not cruisers - only done a trans-Pacific repositioning years ago as an alternative to a flight from the US, so we have zero experience of the kind of service a TA could provide.

We haven't used a travel agent for years, booking directly with airlines and hotels on our annual migration from the southern to the northern hemisphere!

I know it's forbidden to recommend anyone, but some pointers as to where to start looking would be helpful!

 

Since I live in the US I'm not familiar with the ins and outs of non-US residents booking with US-based TAs.  But if a US resident asked or if you are able to book through a US TA then I would suggest that one place to try is to use one of those sites that lets you specify the sailing and cabin class you want and they put it out to bid to TAs.  I've managed to get an average of 7-10% off in a lower price and perks.

 

This assumes getting a good deal is the primary motive.  Some people use TAs more for advice and handholding.  And some folks don't use TAs at all because they want to stay in control of their booking.

[Flatbush Flyer]

15 minutes ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

….  And some folks don't use TAs at all because they want to stay in control of their booking.

“Control” of a booking?  LOL

While cruise DIYers are on hold for a “luck of the draw” cruise line phone rep (some times for more than an hour), my TA has the O regional sales rep as a speed dial.

Even more importantly, her Agency books $ million(s) with O every week while pretty much any DIY cruiser is no more than a rounding error in a cruise line’s daily bottom line.

 

Whose phone call will get answered first and see a solution the fastest?

[Flatbush Flyer]

On 2/7/2023 at 8:19 AM, Sea42 said:

This is hardly unique to Oceania.

No one said it was/is unique. It’s just an example of how it might work for the person asking.

[Korimako]

 But if a US resident asked or if you are able to book through a US TA then I would suggest that one place to try is to use one of those sites that lets you specify the sailing and cabin class you want and they put it out to bid to TAs.

 

I don't think that booking through a US based TA would work for me. For example, if I have to call them about any query I might have, not only will it be an international call, but I would have to factor in the time difference. Here in NZ it's 19.50 on Thursday 9 Feb, but in New York it's only 1.50 and in Los Angeles it's 22.50 on Wednesday 8th!

Do you think it would be a good idea to identify which cruises interest us and then ask NZ/Australian TAs what they could do for us?

[ldubs]

59 minutes ago, Korimako said:

 

Do you think it would be a good idea to identify which cruises interest us and then ask NZ/Australian TAs what they could do for us?

 

Yes.  You would have nothing to lose, I think.   

[CPT Trips]

On 2/9/2023 at 1:53 AM, Korimako said:

Do you think it would be a good idea to identify which cruises interest us and then ask NZ/Australian TAs what they could do for us?

Sure. Go to the cruise line website to know what retail price is. Then shop around with a few local TAs and see what you can get. 

[clackey]

After 20 cruise that I had booked through the cruise line websites or online TA's I finally called a sale rep to help coordinate our next cruise.  I needed to book 2 adjoining cabins for my wife, me, and our two daughters.  Everything has gone well so far.

[pdmlynek]

If using a travel agent ("TA") is so much better than booking the cruises yourself, then can someone please expain the economics to me?  Because, it just does not make sense.

 

A TA makes a commission of 10% to 15% on a booked cruise.  Unless the passenger pays the TA directly, the commission must be paid by the cruiseline.  A typical cruise line (pre-Covid) spends about 8% on fuel, 10% payroll, 12% operating expense, 6% food, Mkting & Admin 14%, depreciation 11%, etc. and 15% on commissions, making about 19% profit.  Those commissions are the biggest outlay.  

 

Why would a cruiseline give a passenger who costs them extra 10-15% favorable treatment? Wouldn't the cruise line treat a customer that buys directly much better?  

 

[Cruise till you drop]

Perhaps but sometimes it’s the TA that’s bringing them that customer who might not even sailed on that line.  Also the TA is giving you a better OBC that’s coming from that commission I’m sure

 

Now if Cruise lines gave better OBC, then we’d have an argument to book directly with the cruise line

Edited February 12, 2023 by Cruise till you drop

[MCC retired]

Last that I have read , CLIA states that 7 out of 10 cruise bookings are done by TA’s .

A cruise line does not wish to jeopardize that supply chain that fills their ships 

by undercutting TA’s.

Renaissance Cruise Line once tried booking direct for less and quickly went under as TA’s booked away from them.

Also , many of the cruise line order takers may have never been aboard a cruise .

[Cruise till you drop]

What’s also interesting about all of this is that quite frankly, we’ve booked direct and with TA’s and other than OBC and maybe effort to search out available cabins that we had expressed interest in, not sure we see any additional benefit or service that a TA provides

[ontheweb]

13 hours ago, Cruise till you drop said:

What’s also interesting about all of this is that quite frankly, we’ve booked direct and with TA’s and other than OBC and maybe effort to search out available cabins that we had expressed interest in, not sure we see any additional benefit or service that a TA provides

Information. I recently spoke to our TA, and he said entertainment and specialty dining would sell out early on our ship, and that he would help us book them when the time came. And note, this is not something he gets a commission on, just a service.

[Hlitner]

On 2/12/2023 at 4:39 PM, Cruise till you drop said:

What’s also interesting about all of this is that quite frankly, we’ve booked direct and with TA’s and other than OBC and maybe effort to search out available cabins that we had expressed interest in, not sure we see any additional benefit or service that a TA provides

That truly depends on the specific agent.  As a general rule we agree that most agents exist to carry out the requests/instructions of their clients.  But there are also some excellent cruise/travel agents who can help in decision making and provide some suggestions.   This is especially true for those of us who cruise all over the world with many different cruise lines/ships.  So, for example, if I were to ask my cruise agent to compare a transatlantic cruise in a Celebrity Retreat Suite vs on Seabourn she might suggest that Seabourn is a far better value and several recent clients were pleased with their cruise.  or. She might caution me that some of her favorite clients have not been happy with a certain ship or line.

 

Hank

[ldubs]

6 hours ago, Hlitner said:

That truly depends on the specific agent.  As a general rule we agree that most agents exist to carry out the requests/instructions of their clients.  But there are also some excellent cruise/travel agents who can help in decision making and provide some suggestions.   This is especially true for those of us who cruise all over the world with many different cruise lines/ships.  So, for example, if I were to ask my cruise agent to compare a transatlantic cruise in a Celebrity Retreat Suite vs on Seabourn she might suggest that Seabourn is a far better value and several recent clients were pleased with their cruise.  or. She might caution me that some of her favorite clients have not been happy with a certain ship or line.

 

Hank

 

I guess it would range from a simple booking agent to a full concierge service.  

[pdmlynek]

On 2/8/2023 at 3:55 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

“Control” of a booking?  LOL

When things go bad, the cruise line is pointing fingers at the TA, and the TA is pointing fingers at the cruise line.  It is just easier to deal with the cruise line directly.