booking thru TA, on-line or promos???

[CJcruzer]

I have used a local TA for my bookings, I have given the promo code to her for the cruise I am interested in - my question is, can the TA do even better with a promo code than I can direct with HAL....

I've also noticed that a lot of people use an "online" TA - I am in Canada, can you give me some leads to good online travel consultants???

CJcruzer

[torpeedo]

Your TA should definetly be able to use the promo, particularly since you have not booked yet. Your TA should be able to beat HAL prices but the only way for you to know is to shop and compare. Get a quote direct from HAL and then your TA. There are great online TA's that get some good rates. This website has a list of some very good online TA's that I have used. Do your homework and compare apples to apples, same cabin,date, ship. Check guarantee vs assigned cabin which can sometimes cut you a break. BUT you have to live with the idea that HAL will put you where they want to and you will not have a choice in your cabins. To us, we like to know where we will be staying:) .

[mrblack]

I'm from Canada and I've booked all our cruises online using a company out of Florida. I don't think I'm supposed to mention specific names. I've booked cruises involving 8 people from 7 different cities in two countries thru the online TA and it worked fine. We all ended up on the same ship in the rooms we wanted. Since then I've booked three other cruises. 2 have come and gone without a hitch and hopefully the Noordam 12/27/06 will also be without a hitch. I wanted to use a local TA the first time and would have if they could have given me a price within 7 or 800 of my final price for the 8 of us but they couldn't even come that close to the deal I got online. I think as people get more comfortable with booking travel online it is only going to get tougher in the land TA business.:)

[boomerSexyK]

Our upcoming cruise was booked thru brick & mortar TA in Montreal that also has a website. Booked the entire cruise thru email, very happy with what they were able to do for us. They beat HAL's price by $500. I was looking for a ship that offered "live" poker onboard. This agency specializes in poker cruises. Hal has 2 - Statendam and Zuiderdam (that's us). Princess also offers lots of poker on their ships, but HAL's service and this boards recommendations won us over.