Travel Agent vs. Big Box Store

I have always booked with a travel agent. I have to admit that booking with a big box store never occurred to me until I read a recent thread and then I went to one of their websites. I have to admit I am intrigued.:confused:

Are you able to get price drops, make cabin changes, cancel before final payment with them? If you run into a problem, are they helpful?

Do you deal with one agent, or whoever.....?

I have always booked with a travel agent. I have to admit that booking with a big box store never occurred to me until I read a recent thread and then I went to one of their websites. I have to admit I am intrigued.:confused:

 

Are you able to get price drops, make cabin changes, cancel before final payment with them? If you run into a problem, are they helpful?

 

Do you deal with one agent, or whoever.....?

Price drops are handled the same as with a TA. Cabin changes are handled the same as with a TA. Cancelling is the same as well. As with a TA, if a problem arises, contact them and they will handle it the same as a TA.

The one disadvantage is that you will most likely be dealing with the first customer service rep that answers the phone. But, that also has the advantage of always having someone available to answer your call, where a personal TA may be off work or on vacation when you need assistance, and will have to wait until they have time to call you back.

We use online no call agency. They used to have revisable and not fares. Not revisable were a bit cheaper, but you had to pay a small fee, to adjust amount if price fell. Now all fares are revisable.

All you do is send email and it is answered in 15-20 minutes during their (long) work hours.

Years ago we started booking with our airline to get the bonus miles, then we found out about a big online TA who would give us better benefits for booking with them and the pricing was better. 3 years ago we booked with a local TA for some resident deal and when we were forced to cancel last minute we barely got a "Sorry" from them. Went back to the onlines and big box store deals. By and large they have been very good about servicing when I have pointed out price drops so now I just find the cruise we want and see if the online place or the big box place has the best deal and book with them. Price drops are up to me to find and point out, taking advantage of them is up to the TA and often an online or big box place does so much more business that they get a bit more from the cruise lines than your local mom and pop place.

..... often an online or big box place does so much more business that they get a bit more from the cruise lines than your local mom and pop place.

That is why we are using a big box TA for our next cruise. They beat the TAs we had used in the past by a large margin. One of those TAs offered $25 OBC, another offered $75. The big box gave us $475 PLUS one specialty dining credit for all occupants of our stateroom. That equated to about $550 of credit, much more than the smaller TAs offered while all offered the same cruise fare and perks offered by the cruise line.

We have called and requested price drops on two occasions which were instantly provided for as we waited on the line for the TA to arrange it with the cruise line. After the third price drop, we requested a room change to a higher category, more expensive room which had also come down in price almost equaling our original fare price, and that was also handled immediately.

I haven't used a big box store but have used a large online TA agency. Really like using them. Since it's a large online agency someone is available almost 24/7 to take your call. You do get a designated consultant; but whenever that person is unavailable you can call the main number and get someone on duty. Your consultant still retains your booking but it does allow you to get price drops and fixes much more quickly than relying on just one person. I've found that I get better prices through this agency and they are still happy to take care of cabin changes and price drops for me.

if you book with the big box, inquire if you are part of group booking. We have been in the past, which precludes being offered a last minute upgrade. However, we have always been able to take advantage of the one cabin category Captain's Club upgrade, regardless of group or non-group, using the box. Also, they have expanded hours so it isjust in the wee hours that they cannot be reached. In probably 30 interactions with the "first available", there has been just one who brushed off my inquiry.

I have always booked with a travel agent. I have to admit that booking with a big box store never occurred to me until I read a recent thread and then I went to one of their websites. I have to admit I am intrigued.:confused:

 

Are you able to get price drops, make cabin changes, cancel before final payment with them? If you run into a problem, are they helpful?

 

Do you deal with one agent, or whoever.....?

We always go with one of the major online agencies (whoever has better quotes!). Local TA would not have group rates like big travel agency specialized on cruising. We are not interested in "perks" so we rather take group rate with big savings and significant OBC or prepaid gratitudes

We always go with one of the major online agencies (whoever has better quotes!). Local TA would not have group rates like big travel agency specialized on cruising. We are not interested in "perks" so we rather take group rate with big savings and significant OBC or prepaid gratitudes

Don't assume that a local TA doesn't have access to group rates. Those agents may be affiliated with a host that maintains open groups--I know that mine does. Just because you're dealing with an individual doesn't mean they don't have groups.

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Our first three Celebrity cruises I booked directly with Celebrity and dealt with them when i need the price dropped or get better price, or upgrade. On third cruise I saw people wearing t-shirts for a large ta company. When we got home I called and asked about what they did, I called some local TA's in town and one told me that it was illegal for TA's to give clients OBC. NOT TRUE. I ended up using a big box warehouse TA. I have been happy and you get approx 8% in OBC. I have never had a problem, I get price drops and I find them very easy to deal with. We have gone on 4 cruises in the past year all with Celebrity and all with big box TA.

I called some local TA's in town and one told me that it was illegal for TA's to give clients OBC. NOT TRUE. I ended up using a big box warehouse TA. I have been happy and you get approx 8% in OBC./QUOTE]

 

Most TA's will break the rules (I went googling for what Celebrity's policy on giving back OBC to clients is), but there are supposed to be caps on what TA's can rebate. Some TA's don't discount as a matter of course, and trade service and knowledge for the full commission. Some strive for a balance between service and price (generally, they will take calls and make changes to a reservation without a fee). Still others offer top dollar OBC, but expect clients to be nearly self-sufficient with their booking., and some charge a fee to make changes to a booking.

Has anyone seen a site which details the Big Box TA's and who may be the best to deal with as names are not allowed on here?

In Canada the amount of OBC available booking with a TA is very little if any. The best one can do we found is booking with one large Big Box and getting a cash card which is provided after the cruise is over. In our case it amounted to about 8%.

Has anyone seen a site which details the Big Box TA's and who may be the best to deal with as names are not allowed on here?

 

In Canada the amount of OBC available booking with a TA is very little if any. The best one can do we found is booking with one large Big Box and getting a cash card which is provided after the cruise is over. In our case it amounted to about 8%.

I get 11% always with an online agent. No problems. Everything is in writing.

Don't assume that a local TA doesn't have access to group rates. Those agents may be affiliated with a host that maintains open groups--I know that mine does. Just because you're dealing with an individual doesn't mean they don't have groups.

 

 

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Correct.

I book with a one-person shop TA, and have not had anything but group rates in the last 15 cruises or so. Saved a $ton on those cruises, also.

I love using my big box warehouse club travel website. I can search multiple cruise lines, search for actual cabins and see the rate, garner some good OBCs with each cruise, and even book shore excursions with a "return to the ship on time" guarantee. Much more user friendly than the cruise line websites - such as Celebrity.

I also use them to book rental cars and vacation packages at resorts pre and/or post cruise.

Their website is easy to use for watching piece drops and all I have to do is call in and they handle it.

That is why we are using a big box TA for our next cruise. They beat the TAs we had used in the past by a large margin. One of those TAs offered $25 OBC, another offered $75. The big box gave us $475 PLUS one specialty dining credit for all occupants of our stateroom. That equated to about $550 of credit, much more than the smaller TAs offered while all offered the same cruise fare and perks offered by the cruise line.

 

We have called and requested price drops on two occasions which were instantly provided for as we waited on the line for the TA to arrange it with the cruise line. After the third price drop, we requested a room change to a higher category, more expensive room which had also come down in price almost equaling our original fare price, and that was also handled immediately.

Wow, which ship & what was the cruise fare on which you got $550 OBC?

I always use an online TA, using same agent.. we were able to get an addl $700 OBC, plus what celebrity is giving us for booking a suite with Go Best. Our other cruise we got a discount of $500.00 pp off our cruise fare, and now just recd an addl $200.00 off from cruise line. Don't know why, but will accept I, our final is due Tuesday, 6 months in advance of departure.

Has anyone seen a site which details the Big Box TA's and who may be the best to deal with as names are not allowed on here?

 

In Canada the amount of OBC available booking with a TA is very little if any. The best one can do we found is booking with one large Big Box and getting a cash card which is provided after the cruise is over. In our case it amounted to about 8%.

I recently booked a cruise while on-board Celebrity Equinox. I was informed that I had 60 days to transfer the reservation to a travel agent and proceeded to compare their "bonuses" once I returned home. Like you, I found that my big box travel division provides a cash back card amounting to approx. 8%. And by using their credit card as my form of payment for the cruise fare, we will receive a rebate of 3%. This is so much better than what a local TA provided in the past - a whopping $100 OBC for one cruise and $0 for two prior cruises.

I have been very happy with the service and support I have gotten thus far. I requested fare adjustments and cabin changes stemming from cabin category upgrades multiple times for this cruise. I have been encouraged to call them whenever I need help as the staff "are not working on commission and are there to help". In contrast to some of the online TA's that send almost daily emails proclaiming their sales and promotions, the big box travel division doesn't charge for booking, cancellations or changes.

And if you're an executive member of the warehouse TA (which, BTW, is just another TA), you now get 2% back on travel purchases along with your 2% back for everything else.

Went up the learning curve over the years from storefront ta to cruise-only office to several online agencies. Have been with current very very large one for our last 20 or so sailings. Have rep we usually book through backed up by 24/7 help line. Problem is they have lately gotten less generous with the perks. For X formerly received at least free grats, but now only small obc. Tempted to look elsewhere and have poked around, but current ta has been helpful with problem resolution and wasn't sure if big box would be equally responsive.

Went up the learning curve over the years from storefront ta to cruise-only office to several online agencies. Have been with current very very large one for our last 20 or so sailings. Have rep we usually book through backed up by 24/7 help line. Problem is they have lately gotten less generous with the perks. For X formerly received at least free grats, but now only small obc. Tempted to look elsewhere and have poked around, but current ta has been helpful with problem resolution and wasn't sure if big box would be equally responsive.

We booked our upcoming cruise with the big warehouse TA and have been very happy so far. No issues when we've called in for either a price drop, room change, or other inquiry, always friendly and pleasant to deal with.

We did have one pricing "problem" that we thought was going to be an issue but they were great. The price had automatically dropped over $300 from what we expected to pay and then automatically went back up.

They simply asked us for a day so they could pull the call recordings (both with us & X from the day when we called int to confirm that new lower price) and review them.

We got a call back the next day simply telling us that they reviewed the calls and lower price would be honored. The way they handled that one incident guarantees that they're at the top of my list for our next trip.

Plus with the cash card we get and now the extra 2% rebate, we'll net over 11%, meanwhile the TA we used for years made us feel like we were begging when we asked if she could do better than what she originally offered.

After I have my $1.50 hot dog and pop, I sit down to book my cruise with my favorite big box TA. Usually price is a bit lower than Princess direct and bunches of obc in addition to whatever Pri.ncess is offering. Most obc received $850. Average about $250. I always book early and use future cruise deposits for even more obc. The reps on the phone are always great and friendly. IF you need to make a change, it is done with little effort and a new invoice is received before I even get off the phone. You will need to watch for your own price drops. One thing this big box does not have is bags for groceries and TA's who watch for price drops...but hey...for the savings, I will check myself.

and TA's who watch for price drops...but hey...for the savings, I will check myself.

FWIW, If my ex-TA is any indication neither do most of the TAs here in Canada.

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