What are the "cons" to using a TA for added perks?

OK. So no specific TAs recommended, so I am hoping this is within the rules...

But, assuming I was able to find a site that has agents/agencies compete for my business and I don't go with one of the offers that seems way lower than the others (because I tend to buy in to "if it looks too good to be true...")...

I believe that the one thing the better offers are able to do is get me about double to three times the on board credit that I could obtain myself booking directly with the line (RCI in this case).

What am I missing? I'd book my excursions myself, not through either the TA or the line. What's the risk? (Cruising on Oasis this July)

No real "risks", but if you want to change something, you must go thru the TA, as they "own" your booking until you board the ship. The cruise line will not speak to you once a TA has control.

TA's can screw you over. If you book direct, you won't have that problem!

I like to control my own destiny. If there is an issue, I take it up with the booking agent. ME!

We have done it both ways and from now on I will always do my own bookings directly with the cruise line.

When we used the TA, I was still doing all the work!! Searching for the cruises and watching for price drops. And when there were price drops I needed to contact the TA who would then need to get back to me before calling the cruise line and that would take 24 hours. Well in 24 hours the price could jump back up. It's just much easier to eliminate the middle man. With everything being online and so much information out there (cruise critic, trip advisor, etc.) it's so easy to do it all on our own.

I've learned that I like to be in control of my booking and can call the cruise line 24/7 if I have a question or need a price drop and it's done immediately. To me, leaving my vacation in the hands of an unknown person is not worth a measly $50 - $100 OBC, or a dinner or a free bottle of wine. Just my opinion....

Everyone that has posted on this forum sounds like they have 1 thing in common. They picked up the phone and called an 800 number and spoke to someone they didn't know who promised them something that they never got in writing. The person that booked the group should not have gotten the 9th cabin free. The cruiseline policy is the 16th PERSON's cruise rate is free when there are 8 cabins booked. Also that is just the cruise rate not including port charges and taxes so that could only be a few hundred dollars. They either misunderstood or the faceless person from the 800 number misled them. Either way they should have been given something in writing from the beginning with an estimate. In an attempt to get a $50.00OBC you gave up customer service. It is sort of like getting a $19.99oil change and finding out later they didn't put your oil plug in all the way and now you need a new engine.

What is the value of a Travel Agent? If you get a good one they could have explained the true group policy. They are there when your ship hits a reef and you are stuck in St Maarten for 2 days at a nudist colony trying to get home...or you are too drunk and miss the ship in Nassau...or you are on a ship and the 16year old girl in the next cabin jumps off her balcony and dies...or your child was in a serious car accident and have to fly back from Mexico but you traveled on your birth certificate and don't have a passport to fly home. Ask any of those people if booking on their own or with an 800 number for a $50.00credit was worth more than me being there for them.

Yes if you haven't guessed I am a Travel Agent and I hate these fake Travel Agents at 800 numbers but I also can't believe what people will give up for $50.00 then have the nerve to complain about the service. You get what you pay for and you paid nothing.

Next time walk into a small Travel Agency and find someone who will look you in the eye and spend time with you.

If anyone wonders all of those incidents mentioned above are true. Just like the phone call I took on my cell phone 2 nights ago while I was sitting in Urgent Care while my husband was getting 6 stitches in his hand. I had a client who needed to cancel a flight for the next morning. She had my personal cell phone number from several years ago when her husband had been stuck in Japan and I was talking to him at home at 3am.

Customer Service VS $50.00sbc. Which is more important to you?

In the UK there is one huge benefit of using a TA. We have to call Guatemala for RCI customer service, and they are notoriously bad. Using a TA, they go through this pain for you!

My boss books several cruises a year through TA's and hasn't had any bad experiences - but again this is in the UK. I've only done it once, but everything was fine and I got all the perks I was promised.

attillathemom quote "Customer Service VS $50.00sbc. Which is more important to you?"

Well it's often lots more then $50 but your point is well taken even if it is self-serving .

Our "lesson" was on a Med cruise where we booked with an agent at a huge on-tine TA .We received free gratuities and other perks worth over $400 . We also used her to book our Choice Air flights . We arraigned the specific flight based on the information she provided . Later that day I discovered a direct flight for just $75 dollars more PP that would save us 4+ hours . I called her back and this previously warm chatty woman said "tough !" :(. I ended up pleading with Choice Air to change my reservation because she refused to . Choice Air were kind enough to make the change.:)

So in the end it all worked out and we did save a lot but we also learned a lesson .

Everyone that has posted on this forum sounds like they have 1 thing in common. They picked up the phone and called an 800 number and spoke to someone they didn't know who promised them something that they never got in writing. The person that booked the group should not have gotten the 9th cabin free. The cruiseline policy is the 16th PERSON's cruise rate is free when there are 8 cabins booked. Also that is just the cruise rate not including port charges and taxes so that could only be a few hundred dollars. They either misunderstood or the faceless person from the 800 number misled them. Either way they should have been given something in writing from the beginning with an estimate. In an attempt to get a $50.00OBC you gave up customer service. It is sort of like getting a $19.99oil change and finding out later they didn't put your oil plug in all the way and now you need a new engine.

What is the value of a Travel Agent? If you get a good one they could have explained the true group policy. They are there when your ship hits a reef and you are stuck in St Maarten for 2 days at a nudist colony trying to get home...or you are too drunk and miss the ship in Nassau...or you are on a ship and the 16year old girl in the next cabin jumps off her balcony and dies...or your child was in a serious car accident and have to fly back from Mexico but you traveled on your birth certificate and don't have a passport to fly home. Ask any of those people if booking on their own or with an 800 number for a $50.00credit was worth more than me being there for them.

 

Yes if you haven't guessed I am a Travel Agent and I hate these fake Travel Agents at 800 numbers but I also can't believe what people will give up for $50.00 then have the nerve to complain about the service. You get what you pay for and you paid nothing.

Next time walk into a small Travel Agency and find someone who will look you in the eye and spend time with you.

 

If anyone wonders all of those incidents mentioned above are true. Just like the phone call I took on my cell phone 2 nights ago while I was sitting in Urgent Care while my husband was getting 6 stitches in his hand. I had a client who needed to cancel a flight for the next morning. She had my personal cell phone number from several years ago when her husband had been stuck in Japan and I was talking to him at home at 3am.

 

Customer Service VS $50.00sbc. Which is more important to you?

You sound like a great ta...but unfortunately there are a few who take the booking and u can never get ahold of them again. I have done it myself and used four different tas. This last one ( big online recommended by cc) has really gotten me the best deal ever. They have provided great customer service too. Bottom line..it all depends I guess!!

I used an online cruise agency that I used previously and asked for the same TA. She was out the whole week, so I got impatient and asked for another TA. The new TA booked my cruise, and processed my credit card. She explained within a few days I would receive a confirmation. Well a week passed and I did not see a confirmation. I called the agency and couldn't reach the TA. So I spoke to several people and explained, "my credit card was billed, and my husband is not paying it until we receive a confirmation" lol. Finally I spoke to a manager who said we will take care of it today. The TA called me later on that day, and apologized because "she thought the booking went through but it didn't". LUCKILY the cruise fare did not rise yet, but rose the next day.

The pros--same price as cruise line but with $250 onboard credit.:D

Another time I used a TA to book a cruise. She was local, but I did it over the phone. I gave her my credit card number and it was booked. We booked it late--maybe a month before. We started preparing the house a week before doing cleaning and paying bills online. My husband sees charges for a resort in Arizona. This was going on a for about a week so each night hotel's charge kept repeating on our charge bill. I figured out the stupid TA used my credit card number to book another client's vacation. Well, she was either stupid or was criminal trying to give her friends a vacation on me. I got it all straightened out and she only said, "sorry".:confused:

Would you just pick up the phone/go online and randomly select a repair service, hairdresser, etc? Why do so for a travel professional? Talk to friends/family about who they use and share experiences. Or visit a local TA and explore travel options and ideas - it costs nothing - develop a relationship with the TA. Check them out on BBB, yelp, etc. If you don' like what you hear or read, go somewhere else,

A good TA will give you peace of mind and free you to just enjoy your trip. But you are better off on your own than using a poor TA.

I would say the down side of using is a TA is the human factor. It means you have to work with people. For some people, that is their bread and butter, and they will want a TA just to have a human to work with, even if it might not be best for the trip itself. I just know that when I work with brochures and websites, I don't have to worry about hurting anyone's feelings or explain myself. I never second guess the website's motives or expertise, and it never second guesses mine.