Using a travel agent

[Jaaaney]

I have only been on 2 cruises, one just before covid and one recently.  Like all travel over the past few decades, both times we arranged it ourselves.  Reading these forums I see TA's mentioned a lot.  Looking at booking a few more cruises for next year and after, what are the advantages (or not) of using a TA?  And - do you have any recommendations for good ones, if that is allowed on this board. 

 

 

[mum and son]

I'm interested to hear answers to this question as well. I'm a deal shopper so usually go with the cheapest prices but, post covid, if the price difference is small (which it usually is) I have been booking direct with the cruise line. If I do a really last minute cruise then I may grab a cheaper price through an online agent, knowing full well that I won't get any service and I won't be able to reach them to make changes if necessary. 

 

I have previously had great agents overseas, back when the AUD was stronger and there was value in booking o/s, but that's less of an option now. I would love a great TA based here, but checking pricing etc is like my hobby so I'd probably annoy the agent too much and they'd sack me 😆.

[Aus Traveller]

We have booked both ways - either direct with the cruise line or through an agent. Usually an agent will give us a few sweeteners in the way of extra on-board credit and/or specialty dinners. The agent we use is very good at getting us good cabins. We aren't permitted to mention travel agents' names.

 

Before you book with an agent, I suggest you check what their T&Cs are on cancellation. You can't avoid the cruiselines mandated cancellation policy, but some TAs charge on top of that. Although when you book you wouldn't be planning to cancel, life can get in the way and you might have to cancel for a reason not covered by your travel insurance.

[lyndarra]

I use online cruise specialist TAs. The only time I have booked with a cruiseline was once while on a cruise where I booked a future cruise with a post cruise tour. I later transferred the booking to a TA (you can do this) to add a pre cruise tour.

I look for deals where I like the itinerary then look at which cruise line it is and compare prices. I get regular emails from TAs with deals.

 

[cruiser3775]

I've booked direct with the cruise line and also used travel agents in Australia.  You need to look for specialised cruise travel agents, not general ones. And especially not that one that has branches everywhere in shopping centres. The cruise TA specialists are the ones that offer a few sweeteners like some extra on board credit or meals in the speciality restaurants, and they sometimes have access to a block of well located cabins that you can't find when you deal directly with the cruise line.  Check that they are members of the cruise lines travel association CLIA and also the Australian travel agents association ATAS.  Also see if you can find some product reviews for that agent, because there are one or two that have poor reputations.

[ceeceeDee]

We booked an OS cruise with a bricks and mortar TA (and yes, it was in a shopping centre but there are quite a few different companies and they are not all tarred with the same brush🙂) and were happy with the expertise, service and deal.

Conversely, we have used an on line cruise specialist company and it was a constant frustration from start to finish. It was like amateur hour. Then again on another occasion we used a different on line specialist and they were just great. So, I guess in some cases it is the luck of the draw.

We booked our last two cruises directly with the line and got a good deal with no hiccups.

The foregoing, unfortunately  is probably not very helpful in assisting you to decide, Jaaaney.

If it helps, we are seriously considering using the bricks and mortar agent again for a cruise we are considering mainly because we are looking at cruise lines we haven't sailed with before and it might initially be easier to do the comparison with a TA before making a final decision.

[Bubbeh]

Not sure if I can use actual company names on this forum so I'll try to get my point across using euphemisms.

 

For years I used the local automobile club travel agent here in Mandurah.  I'd developed wonderful realtionships with the section manager and other agents, they'd let me know when cruises I'd be interested in were coming up and went out of their way to offer excellent customer service.  Then fairly recently the powers that be decided to close the TA section of the shop down here.  Shock horror!  Seemed to make no sense to me as the place was always busy and almost every self funded retiree I spoke with said they used this particular agent and all had glowing experiences. 

 

I've heard many poor reports of the other big player in the market usually located in shopping centres.  So now this little black duck is going it alone and I book direct with the cruise line. 

 

[MicCanberra]

You cannot name TAs on the forums, it is against the guidelines 

[MicCanberra]

We use a TA for some cruises and while sometimes you are better off going direct, the TA is nearly always cheaper and the better deal. This is especially true if getting a travel package such as a fly, stay, cruise package.

[arxcards]

Thinly veiled hints are also on the non-gratis list for the forum. It pays to check the guidelines when joining.

 

We have booked direct, we have booked overseas, but we pretty much book with an online agency now. It isn't the agency for us, but the agent. When you find one that is awesome, they are pure gold.

 

It isn't just the price, but the service. The ability to work outside office hours to secure something special, or to react to a limited deal. If I could name our agent here, I still wouldn't. The good agents already have a pretty full book, and I don't want to dilute the service we get. 

 

If you are hunting for an agent, I would suggest asking the cruise line you are booking whether they have PVPs you can engage with.

[JohnGc]

I have always booked direct until the latest cruise with RCC.  The TA I have booked with has been excellent and so helpful. I have changed cabins twice. While I was on the phone asking if she could change my cabin she found one more suitable and emailed the  paperwork through before the phone conversation was finished. The TA also sorted my insurance out at a better cost than I could get it. If you get a good one they make it feel there is no problem they can't sort out.

[Sparky74]

Our first cruise, back in 2010, was booked through a bricks & mortar TA, as were the next few. I eventually worked out that I was doing all the research online and then calling (or visiting) the TA with the details of the exact cruise I wanted to book but not getting any bonuses such as OBC. So I switched to booking directly via the Internet. 

Last year we planned a multi segment itinerary including os flights and 4 cruises on 3 different lines so decided to engage the same online cruise TA that DW’s parents use, same individual and same person. I was a little annoyed that she booked the in-laws on the same cruise as us but that’s another story. 

 

As it was we did have issues with delayed flights but QANTAS sorted that, and P&O organised a complimentary COVID motel and complimentary taxi when I tested positive. I didn’t need to call upon the TA or our insurance. Getting the promised cruise credit out of P&O was a different story but that was booked direct; I’d grabbed a cheap sail price when I saw it and found out the hard way that they won’t transfer a booking to a TA after you’ve paid in full. It would have been helpful if the TA could have chased the credit for me. 

 

I’ve continued to use the TA to date. 
 

PROS & CONS

With a TA you don’t have direct control of your booking. Any changes need to be done through the TA. This can be a frustration but dealing directly with a cruise line can also be frustrating. Over the years I have spent hours on the phone with cruise lines. Sometimes it’s easier if a TA can do that on your behalf. On the other hand, I’ve had a cruise line tell me I couldn’t change my booking and I’ve phoned the next day and a different operator fixed it for me without a hassle. I’m not sure if a TA would have done that. 
 

We got a really good price on a cruise earlier this year that was only available to members of the TA “club". It cost me a $90 annual membership fee but I ended up saving 100s. 
 

My sister is about to go on her 2nd ever cruise, and her first with the kids who are now teens. The TA said it was impossible to link the two bookings (2 cabins) together but my sister was able to do it herself with information from an online forum. 
 

Going forward I might go back to booking direct with the cruise lines unless the TA can give me a better deal or better service. 🤷‍♂️

[Aussieflyer]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

SNIP/

If you are hunting for an agent, I would suggest asking the cruise line you are booking whether they have PVPs you can engage with.

I book many cruises directly with the cruise line (especially mainstream lines like Princess etc) and use an online specialist cruise agent for something like Silversea or expedition. They give a bit of a sweetener with $ rebate. My agent is good and will get back to me very quickly if I have a question or want to check something. But if I am booking something cheap, I just go straight to the cruise line site as that way I have full control. 

Only once have I tried to contact the Princess PVP - useless. I keep getting emails where they introduce themselves or tell me 'exciting news' but the one time I wanted to ask a question the person didn't reply at all, so I don't bother.

 

[Jaaaney]

Thank you for all your opinions and previous experience.  I will investigate and contact a few in Melbourne

[Ozwoody]

The main take on all the above as I see it, is if you love getting into the nitty gritties, and you find it fun, then do it yourself.

However if your not that type, then you face the problem, how do you find a good TA?

 

I found our TA from recommendation from other cruisers, he is our third TA, and he's magic, the other two were ok, but had to follow up a bit.

Our TA has been worth his weight in gold as they say.

I tell him what I want, and he, come back very quickly, never been unhappy with what he has did for us.

Quite often he will arrange free upgrade, sometime even at a lower cost.

TA are always getting the latest info, and if their good, you benefit from it.

 

In the end its a personal thing, go with what your comfortable with.

 

Ask around as you talk to people on a cruise, what they do, can't hurt and you may get some good info re booking cruises.

 

[cruiser3775]

2 hours ago, Jaaaney said:

I will investigate and contact a few in Melbourne

Just because you live in Melbourne, don't restrict yourself to local TAs. Some of the best online ones may be based in other states, or even overseas. I have used an overseas agent for a booking and he got me a deal that none of the cruise specialist agents in Australia could match.

[Elorac123]

8 hours ago, mum and son said:

interested to hear answers to this question as well. I'm a deal shopper so usually go with the cheapest prices but, post covid, if the price difference is small (which it usually is) I have been booking direct with the cruise line. If I do a really last minute cruise then I may grab a cheaper price through an online agent, knowing full well that I won't get any service and I won't be able to reach them to make changes

I use online agent and when Covid hit mid cruise it was no problem for me to get in touch and get help,,same agents have a draw every month for a free holiday for members

 

Cheers Carole

[yes!yes!yes!]

I mostly book my holidays (cruises and land holidays) direct.

Sometimes on line and other times I pick up the phone and call. ( I'm not tech savvy)

I only started with Princess last year and have booked all 8 cruises and 2 future cruises direct over the phone. I always call the direct line of the first one I dealt with and she always gets me things people say on here you cant get. (drinks package just for me and not my mum, no medical reason, she just doesn't want one) Sometimes I let her know when I'm interested in a cruise and she contacts me when the price comes down.

With Royal Caribbean I have used online cruise agents a couple of times but have mainly booked direct on their website.

Earlier this year I booked 3 cruises at short notice with MSC. I found there website too frustrating and They weren't answering their phone (on hold for far too long) so I used an online cruise agent. I was happy up until I needed a bit of help with booking addons and online check in a few days prior and the cruise line refused to help me as I was booked thru an agent. This all happened whilst I was overseas and calling the agent from the UK to Sydney time was a challenge.

[Aus Traveller]

15 hours ago, yes!yes!yes! said:

I mostly book my holidays (cruises and land holidays) direct.

Sometimes on line and other times I pick up the phone and call. ( I'm not tech savvy)

I only started with Princess last year and have booked all 8 cruises and 2 future cruises direct over the phone. I always call the direct line of the first one I dealt with and she always gets me things people say on here you cant get. (drinks package just for me and not my mum, no medical reason, she just doesn't want one) Sometimes I let her know when I'm interested in a cruise and she contacts me when the price comes down.

Great that you have a good rep to look after your bookings. BTW, I understand that now anyone can book the drinks package just for one passenger. Earlier people reported that you couldn't do it.

[arxcards]

2 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

Great that you have a good rep to look after your bookings. BTW, I understand that now anyone can book the drinks package just for one passenger. Earlier people reported that you couldn't do it.

I think part of the snag was when passengers were booking the fare type, you couldn't book one passenger on plus and the other on standard.  As far as I can tell, you can't book direct online that way, but you can split your fare type over the phone or when booking with an agent.

[Aus Traveller]

Just now, arxcards said:

I think part of the snag was when passengers were booking the fare type, you couldn't book one passenger on plus and the other on standard.  As far as I can tell, you can't book direct online that way, but you can split your fare type over the phone or when booking with an agent.

That sounds reasonable. The point I was making is that it is not just a Princess agent who can split the fare type - travel agents can also.

[sciencewonk]

I always use a TA.  If something goes wrong or needs attention, I would rather the TA spend the time to get it done and relieve me of the anxiety.

 

I also always use a small independent as opposed to a large, franchised agency.  Again, if something goes wrong, it's good to have the person most familiar with the booking to troubleshoot for you rather than a random agent who answered the phone.

[Cruisers47]

I have had a bad experience with a TA.  This was not one in a shopping centre.  It was a package deal and my flight day was changed and when we got to the airport we were told our ticket number was not for that day.  It was an expensive trip.
 

turned out that the TA had not given us the new ticket number and because it was a code share flight the airline could not help or wouldn’t.  
 

we phoned the airline office in Sydney and got the correct info.  Luckily it was a midweek flight rather than the weekend.   We called the TA from the Melbourne Airport but she took so long to get back to us that is why we called the airline ourself.

 

if I stuff things up I only have me to blame and I double check everything.

 

Eileen

[Ozwoody]

7 hours ago, Cruisers47 said:

 

if I stuff things up I only have me to blame and I double check everything.

 

Eileen

Personally I like when I can blame someone else.

Really hate it when I have to point at me as the faulty one.

 

Have to do that to many times at home, when you know who gives me one of those looks.🥺

[Cruisers47]

7 hours ago, Ozwoody said:

Personally I like when I can blame someone else.

Really hate it when I have to point at me as the faulty one.

 

Have to do that to many times at home, when you know who gives me one of those looks.🥺

As if you would get one of these looks!    My husband says it’s the tone of voice I use..really!!   That’s why he never organises anything to do with cruises!  
 

Eileen