Why Use a Travel Agent?

[Cuizer2]

What is the story about onboard credits and other gifts from TAs? Maybe only if you book expensive cabins? I usually book two (sometimes three) cabins, but always the cheapest ones. Should I expect a little gift of appreciation from my TA?

 

No, you should not expect a gift from your TA. However, some do like to show their appreciation by giving their client a small gift.

 

However, you should expect some appreciation from your TA.

[bickee]

We use an online TA simply because they have lower prices, typically, and usually a special "deal" such as free gratuities, free insurance, a bottle of wine PER DAY (7 bottles in our room when we got there!) etc. Just the little perks don't hurt! I still do all my research myself.

[crisndeefromde]

No, you should not expect a gift from your TA. However, some do like to show their appreciation by giving their client a small gift.

 

However, you should expect some appreciation from your TA.

 

We have gotten gifts from our t/a in the past. We have had to switch this next cruise several times and they have been fantastic in moving us to another ship and another cabin altogether. They probably hate to get my emails but such is our life and having ill family members dictates changes. I can't imagine RCCL making all of these changes for me. When the rates drop they pass the savings on to us and many t/a's apparently don't but ours sure does.

[DD]

The Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) has an accreditation program for travel agents who want to specialize in cruises. They can earn either ACC (Accredited Cruise Counsellor) or MCC (Master Cruise Counsellor). I make sure that any travel agent I use has earned his MCC. These accredited agents have extensive knowledge of the cruise industry and cruise lines. You can visit the CLIA site at www.cruising.org. I find it hard to believe that a generic travel agent who is not intimately familiar with cruises can provide the best service and those may be the ones who do not track prices closely and insure that you receive any and all price reductions prior to your cruise date.

 

I am now using the same travel agent for all of my cruises. I found him online when I first used an online site where agents competed for your booking to find the lowest rate for one of our cruises. He is an MCC and is very knowledgeable and helpful. He always gets me the reduced rates whenever there is a price reduction, he always provides an OBC and he contacts Royal Caribbean with any special requests we have (and so far they have all been honored).

 

This is good information; however, CLIA actually has 4 certification levels -- ACC (Accredited Cruise Counsellor), MCC (Master Cruise Counsellor), ECC (Elite Cruise Counsellor), and ECCS (Elite Cruise Counsellor Scholar). As you progress through the certification levels, the ranks get smaller and smaller. Last time I checked, there were only about 35 travel agents in North America that hold the certifcation ECCS. If you deal with an ECCS, you are definitely dealing with someone who knows cruises!

[EggDropErin]

This is good information; however, CLIA actually has 4 certification levels -- ACC (Accredited Cruise Counsellor), MCC (Master Cruise Counsellor), ECC (Elite Cruise Counsellor), and ECCS (Elite Cruise Counsellor Scholar). As you progress through the certification levels, the ranks get smaller and smaller. Last time I checked, there were only about 35 travel agents in North America that hold the certifcation ECCS. If you deal with an ECCS, you are definitely dealing with someone who knows cruises!

 

 

Just curious, do they publish a list for the public to see as to who all the ECCS, etc. are?

[Tikibird]

I am still leaning towards the online TA who offers prepaid gratuities. It is a large agency that is linked in CC's own cruise agency page.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/shipshop/index.cfm

 

We are going with the lowest category-inside cabin that qualifies for the offer. I don't think at our level there are likely to be many discounts, it is currently at $719 category M. This saves us $50 pp over the total we would have to spend if we book direct with RCI and pay the gratuities ourselves. I can still choose our exact cabin from a diagram on their website, choose my dining arrangements, don't know why else I would need them after that is done.

[crazy 4 cruising]

1. I check for price drops everyday, no TA is going to do that

 

2. I keep control of my reservation

 

3. I can call RCCL directly and get any quick questions answered.

 

4. I don't have to wait for someone to get back to me

 

5. two times I used one, they were totally incompetent and screwed up a lot of things.

 

6. for a real con of using a TA, read this current thread

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=630589

 

GREAT points. we recently moved all of ours to an on-line company because of pre-paid gratuities for the 1st 2 folks. Since we are doing a 15 day and a 12 day in the future, that does save us some $. Do I think it is worth it? I am torn. It has been a bit of a hassle at times to work thru the TA--I keep getting "we are sooooooooo busy that I can hardly call out". it wasn't until I left a "I am very frustrated and n ot a happy cruiser" message on her voice mail that I got her attention. We shall see. I do check prices everyday and would not expect them to do that, I have not had any problem getting changes made with her, and they are open until midnight EST. I did keep the next cruise I just booked on my last cruise under my control.

[Robb]

We always use a Travel Agent, not one online but with a local company. She is very efficient and takes care of everything. She does watch for rate reductions, gets upgrades for us and handles any problem which may arise and I do not have to deal with it.

 

There was a problem with an upcoming cruise which affected all 20 or so who were on a Roll Call. Some of them had booked directly, some with an olline TA. While we all had the same problem, my travel agent took care of it while the others had to fight to even get to talk with someone. Eventually everything was ironed out for all of us but the others had weeks of not knowing what was going to happen with the bookings.

 

Maybe I am lazy but it is so easy to call her and say what I want and presto she takes care of it.

[jebl]

Bothe sides of the issue have merit. I usually do the research and book either on board for the OBC or directly with RCI. Then I transfer the booking to my online agent for the free travel insurance.

 

When you are older, the insurance is a big deal. Never know when illness will strike.

 

The agent I deal with is always prompt to get me any reductions that I email to him.

[corkpopr]

A TA is the only way to go. We jump cruiselines all the time thanks to our agent. We get introductions, cabin credit, free wine, contacts at ports, etc., etc. If you find the right one, you can't beat it. Learned never to book cruiseline air or take ship provided excursions and have saved a fortune over the years and had much better cruising experiences.

[emilygrace]

My TA has been one of my BFFs for over 40 years. She got into the travel game when she and her DH became empty nesters and she wanted a profession that would benefit the whole family. I always book through her (cruises only) because she does go that extra mile. Since she does most of her work at home, I know I can get in touch with her almost any time (unless she's on a trip, in which case she has another TA from the office handle her clients). Even though her agency charges cancellation fees, she always whites that out on our contracts. She recently was able to get us a lower rate when RCL had senior rates, even though we booked through a sale that specifically said "no future discounts or promos". She went straight to the regional rep for RCL and made her case that others had gotten discounts already, etc. so the rep researched this and gave the go ahead for the senior rate.

 

Whenever we want to book something she always looks to see if her agency has a group booking on that ship or on a similar sailing. She always tries to get the best deal for us.

 

Although it's not a deal breaker for me, she always has a little gift waiting in our cabin. On our last cruise she had done an agent's tour earlier in the day on our ship and she placed cute door signs on our cabins to greet us.

 

I know for some people it's all about the $$$ and the bottom line, but I figure why not give my friend the commission instead of letting the cruise line absorb it?

[Tikibird]

When you use an online TA, do you still have access to your cruise profile on RCI website? Can you book your own shore excursions directly with RCI online or would you need to go through the TA?

[Robkatcruisers]

This always turns into an argument as some people think they know more than a good TA. The bottom line is: they don't. A good TA will have connections with the line...let's say RCI. When trouble happens...as it often does...you will have an expert who can solve the problem/s for you. I will never book a cruise without my TA. He has given me many perks over the years...perks that I never would have gotten by booking direct. Booking direct with the line does not get you access to group bookings...and that is really where you save money. Booking direct does not give you automatic OBC's...my TA always does. The biggest problem is finding a really good TA. You usually hear about the horror stories...you rarely hear about the good things.

 

 

My dad gave my DH and I a cruise for my graduation from college. He went to a TA to get ideas and wanted to use a TA because he isnt very worldly nor has he ever cruised...he is old school and thought you had to use a TA. I wasnt going to complain as it was a gift. It is the first cruise ever for us and first time ever using a TA for anything. I have talked to the lady twice since May. Have learned all of what I know from Cruise Critic. I asked the initial booking lady and the older lady if they had even heard or were familiar with the Cruise Critic website and they both said no. The TA I talk to on the phone I have never seen. When I have gone in there with my dad to make the first and final payments the TA who started the whole thing is never there. I live like two miles from the TA office. Its old, smells like smoke all the time. I asked the old lady that I had been dealing with (not the TA that I booked with over the phone initialy who is probably getting the credit) questions about St. Thomas and the land tours and what not...she had no idea about them, so I told her about the sky tram thing and she said she didnt know and that she hadnt been there since the 70's, all I could think of was the Love Boat show and the fact that I was born in the 70's so she hadnt been there for like 30 plus years....yikes!! I also asked her about the specialty restaurants and she scoffed and wondered why anyone would want to pay extra when the food was included and thought it was a waste of money....I was kinda dumbfounded as I thought they were supposed to know more...I did ask if they honored price drops and the old guy in the back piped up and said that they were one of the only ones in town that did. I talked to a coworker about how he booked his RCI cruises and he uses a different TA and gets all kinds of perks. This is our first cruise ever, and our anniversary and they didnt care or give us any kind of coupons or anything. I will never use them again!! They really didnt seem like they knew anything about current cruising and their facility is extremely outdated and the cruise flyers in the windows are horrible home/computer made from a dot matrix printer....it all seems weird to me...I keep checking the RCI website to make sure my name is there and that this travel agency isnt just a fraud.:confused:

[Robkatcruisers]

When you use an online TA, do you still have access to your cruise profile on RCI website? Can you book your own shore excursions directly with RCI online or would you need to go through the TA?

 

 

The reservation is on their website you just have to know your reservation number. I got it from the TA and then the receipt. I have booked 2 excursions through RCI directly already. Everything went smooth with my debit visa over the website and when I look at my calendar under my reservation number on the website the excursions are there.

[cruzincurt]

"This always turns into an argument as some people think they know more than a good TA. The bottom line is: they don't."

 

Well, I do...After 21 cruises I know exactly what I want. When, where, with who, and cabin type. What's there to know? I pick the online TA with the best offer for what I want. The cruise must be reserved with my credit card direct to the cruise line, no hanky-panky with the funds. So far, nothing has gone wrong following this approach.

[Robkatcruisers]

I am still leaning towards the online TA who offers prepaid gratuities. It is a large agency that is linked in CC's own cruise agency page.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/shipshop/index.cfm

 

We are going with the lowest category-inside cabin that qualifies for the offer. I don't think at our level there are likely to be many discounts, it is currently at $719 category M. This saves us $50 pp over the total we would have to spend if we book direct with RCI and pay the gratuities ourselves. I can still choose our exact cabin from a diagram on their website, choose my dining arrangements, don't know why else I would need them after that is done.

 

I wish I had known about the online agency for the prepaid gratuities as DH and I are on a very tight budget...the cruise was a gift and we have no money...is there a charge for the online service?

[mikedw]

My dad gave my DH and I a cruise for my graduation from college. He went to a TA to get ideas and wanted to use a TA because he isnt very worldly nor has he ever cruised...he is old school and thought you had to use a TA. I wasnt going to complain as it was a gift. It is the first cruise ever for us and first time ever using a TA for anything. I have talked to the lady twice since May. Have learned all of what I know from Cruise Critic. I asked the initial booking lady and the older lady if they had even heard or were familiar with the Cruise Critic website and they both said no. The TA I talk to on the phone I have never seen. When I have gone in there with my dad to make the first and final payments the TA who started the whole thing is never there. I live like two miles from the TA office. Its old, smells like smoke all the time. I asked the old lady that I had been dealing with (not the TA that I booked with over the phone initialy who is probably getting the credit) questions about St. Thomas and the land tours and what not...she had no idea about them, so I told her about the sky tram thing and she said she didnt know and that she hadnt been there since the 70's, all I could think of was the Love Boat show and the fact that I was born in the 70's so she hadnt been there for like 30 plus years....yikes!! I also asked her about the specialty restaurants and she scoffed and wondered why anyone would want to pay extra when the food was included and thought it was a waste of money....I was kinda dumbfounded as I thought they were supposed to know more...I did ask if they honored price drops and the old guy in the back piped up and said that they were one of the only ones in town that did. I talked to a coworker about how he booked his RCI cruises and he uses a different TA and gets all kinds of perks. This is our first cruise ever, and our anniversary and they didnt care or give us any kind of coupons or anything. I will never use them again!! They really didnt seem like they knew anything about current cruising and their facility is extremely outdated and the cruise flyers in the windows are horrible home/computer made from a dot matrix printer....it all seems weird to me...I keep checking the RCI website to make sure my name is there and that this travel agency isnt just a fraud.:confused:

 

Sounds like some agencies I've seen. They probably belong to every senior's club in town and that's where most of there business comes from. They know what those folks like and that's what they specialize in and they've just never updated the office or got into computers. Still a few of those out there.

[shipshape sam]

I'm confused. I see discussions about travel agents on this board--some good and some bad--and I wonder why you need a travel agent. If Royal Caribbean does not offer reduced prices through a TA (which I am told is the case), why not just deal directly with Royal Caribbean? Is it because you get special perks through a TA? I never have, but it may be because we just get the cheapest cabin. I think I'll not bother with a TA again. I do all the work anyway. I'd be curious about the pros and cons. Thanks.

 

I would suggest finding a TA that is good and takes the time to learn what YOU want. We have a great TA and if and when I have a problem, there have been two times in our 10 years of cruising, he solved our problem. He solved our problem quickly and with our interest taked into account. I have his cell phone number, I called him and it got resolved. Once while in Alaska on a train, the other a pre cruise mess up by cruise line. :)

 

A good TA is a live person, vs the voice on the end of an 800#. A good TA is YOUR advocate, not the ship's or other company depending on the issue/need.:)

 

Finally, a good TA will call you with deals/specials vs you having to always be on the lookout. :)

[cruzincurt]

"I wish I had known about the online agency for the prepaid gratuities as DH and I are on a very tight budget.."

 

Be careful with those "deals" offering pre-paid gratuities, OBC, "free" wine.

 

Make sure the net cost is the lowest. Don't be paying a $200 higher cruise fare to get $50 OBC or "free" wine. Shop around.

[dutchess43]

If my Ta can get me a better price like on my Princess cruise then I let her book it. Because X & RCI no longer discount I would rather have control over my own booking.

[gxchan]

My first experience with a TA was very bad. I ended up booking my cruise with an on line service and everything went well. The second cruise was booked through the CL and that was not a good experience. The CL agent knew nothing about cruising, having taken only one 20 years before; she knew nothing about the ships and she was unable to find anyone who could answer questions. I stayed on top of the pricing so when they dropped I would call her and she would get the reduction put through. On the up side, she was very nice.

 

I kept hearing about OBC, rebates, gifts, etc. that people got when using TAs, so I wanted to give it another try. I now use a TA who knows what he is going, cruises frequently himself and will handle whatever issues, if any, arise. But what makes the difference is the "gifts." If I can get OBC or cash, why not?

[Aandark]

We use a TA because we've had very good luck and great service with our local company. Our TA hand picks the cabin for us based on the ship. Knowing which cabin she would choose if she were on the cruise, and understanding the layout of the ship, she chooses a cabin based on what's above us, and where the elevater is compared to the cabin. She's also there to answer any of my questions and help me with suggestions when it comes to "which cruise line should we go with". As long as we feel like we're in good hands, I'm sure that we'll stick with our TA.

[cruzincurt]

Now we typically post our proposed cruise on a "competing" website. From among the 5 or 6 quotes, we pick the on-line TA that either we booked with that agency before, offers a lower price or upgrade, or if all the prices are typically the same, pick the one offering "extras" such as OBC. Sometimes, one of the quoters has access to special sale pricing. Before I found and started using the "competing" website, I used to also check with a number of local brick and mortar TA's I've dealt with in the past. Back then I've had some tell me straight out to take the better price if they can't match it. Now I go with the "competing" quotes and don't re-shop the quoted prices.

 

A TA who has cruise experience would be helpful to first time cruisers. Make sure your TA agent has actually cruised themselves if you are asking for their opinions.

 

Our reservation is pretty simple since we drive to the cruise. Not too many things that can go wrong. In 21 cruises, I've only had to contact our TA once when we got the luggage tags for the wrong ship. And that really wasn't a problem I needed the TA to handle.

 

I will not knowingly pay a higher cruise fare to get a "free" bottle of wine. It's hard to believe that some TA's would even try to sell the brochure rate to unsuspecting people.

 

With the internet, you can do all the leg work yourself, such as looking at deck plans, ships, pricing. I will book through a TA even if the price is the same from the cruiseline to support them as a business.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

My dad gave my DH and I a cruise for my graduation from college. He went to a TA to get ideas and wanted to use a TA because he isnt very worldly nor has he ever cruised...he is old school and thought you had to use a TA. ...They really didnt seem like they knew anything about current cruising and their facility is extremely outdated and the cruise flyers in the windows are horrible home/computer made from a dot matrix printer....it all seems weird to me...I keep checking the RCI website to make sure my name is there and that this travel agency isnt just a fraud.:confused:

 

You will notice that I said..."The biggest problem is finding a really good TA". You need to research your TA's just as you would do when buying a car etc.

 

GOOD LUCK!!!

[whogo]

You will notice that I said..."The biggest problem is finding a really good TA". You need to research your TA's just as you would do when buying a car etc.

 

GOOD LUCK!!!

I think it is easier to book a suitable cruise on your own than it is to find a good travel agent.