Travel agent questions

Hi all -- wanted to ask you experienced cruisers another couple (quick) questions regarding travel agents.

First - why do cruiselines ask if you are working with a travel agent when requesting information? DH likes to have paper brochures in front of him rather than looking at stuff online, so I've been requesting a lot of them recently, as we are planning two cruises for next year - a vast majority of the cruiselines asked if we were working with an agent. Just wondering why it matters? Do they send different brochures? Different pricing?

In relation to that, could I get the same pricing that a TA could get me by calling the cruiseline directly? I am working with a TA for our 2nd cruise next year - a family celebration for my mom's 70'th birthday in late summer 2012 - up to 25 people going and TA has been very helpful - the rates she quoted were less than the cruiseline's quoted online/brochure prices. Since there are so many people involved with lots of budgets and coming from 4 different states, I really wanted a TA to handle it.

However, our 1st cruise of the year will be just the two of us (in the spring). So if I've done all the research myself. If I call the cruiseline, will they offer me discounts without going through a TA? Do cruiselines prefer to work directly with customers or go through a TA?

I don't want to waste the TA's time for our personal trip if we can get the same rates as calling the cruiseline directly, I just don't know if we can get the same rates and if so, how.

Finally, are the big travel websites (xxx, xxx, etc.) comparable to TA's in getting discounts and/or perks?

Thanks!!

If you are workin gwith a TA, they will be paid by the cruise line for booking your cruise. THerefore, the cruise line directs you and your questions to the TA

1. Discussions about specific travel agencies, such as the two you mention in your post, are not allowed on CC. Read the guidelines at the top of the page.

2. Cruise lines ask if you have a TA because if your booking is done through a TA, the cruise line will only deal with the TA. They won't talk to your directly about your booking.

3. I don't use a TA ever, but most discussions on this board state only Princess allows TAs to discount. Any other "discount" for another line from your TA is usually onboard credit, not really a discount. Price out your cruise through a TA and then through the cruise line and see where you get a better deal.

Thanks for the input! I apologize for mentioning the two websites above, already too late to edit them out - again, apologies!

First - why do cruiselines ask if you are working with a travel agent when requesting information?

If you buy a cruise through an agent, they will not answer any question, only tell you to ask your agent. If you buy the cruise through their website, or by calling the cruise line directly, they will work with you on any issues/questions.

Do a comparison shopping. You can also make reservations with a cruise line, and later release it to a travel agent - probably till the full price is paid.

First - why do cruiselines ask if you are working with a travel agent when requesting information? DH likes to have paper brochures in front of him rather than looking at stuff online, so I've been requesting a lot of them recently, as we are planning two cruises for next year - a vast majority of the cruiselines asked if we were working with an agent. Just wondering why it matters? Do they send different brochures? Different pricing?

 

In relation to that, could I get the same pricing that a TA could get me by calling the cruiseline directly? I am working with a TA for our 2nd cruise next year - a family celebration for my mom's 70'th birthday in late summer 2012 - up to 25 people going and TA has been very helpful - the rates she quoted were less than the cruiseline's quoted online/brochure prices. Since there are so many people involved with lots of budgets and coming from 4 different states, I really wanted a TA to handle it.

 

However, our 1st cruise of the year will be just the two of us (in the spring). So if I've done all the research myself. If I call the cruiseline, will they offer me discounts without going through a TA? Do cruiselines prefer to work directly with customers or go through a TA?

 

I don't want to waste the TA's time for our personal trip if we can get the same rates as calling the cruiseline directly, I just don't know if we can get the same rates and if so, how.

 

Finally, are the big travel websites (xxx, xxx, etc.) comparable to TA's in getting discounts and/or perks?

Hi lunula,

You ask <why do cruiselines ask if you are working with a travel agent when requesting information?> This has already been answered by previous posters.

You ask <could I get the same pricing that a TA could get me by calling the cruiseline directly?> In almost all cases, by shopping around with TA's you will end up with a lower price than will be obtained from dealing directly with a cruise line.

You ask <Do cruiselines prefer to work directly with customers or go through a TA?> It's not so much prefer as it is that they need to deal with TA's. They are a necessary feature. If all TA's stopped dealing with a particular cruse line, that line would eventually go out of business. So since they need to deal with (and pay) the TA's, the cruise lines make them do the work of passenger relations. Otherwise the cruise lines would need to hire more people in their passenger relations function.

You say <I just don't know if we can get the same rates and if so, how.> All you need to do is define the cruise you wish to take and then contact a few TA's. Tell each of them you'd like the lowest price and that you've contacted other TA's. Then take the lowest price you're offered.

You ask <are the big travel websites (xxx, xxx, etc.) comparable to TA's in getting discounts and/or perks?> In my experience, they are almost always better than small local TA's.

I hope this information helps but realize, these are only my personal opinions and YMMV.

Scott & Karen

Some cruiselines are no longer printing out paper brochures.

Carnival has stopped.

HAL is still is printing brochures.

Every once in a while I get Princess and DD19 gets Seabourne:confused:

You have hit on a rather sensitive issue in the travel industry. Cruise lines depend on travel agencies to sell a majority of their berths. However, in recent years, the cruise lines have set-up their own reservation departments (both online and over the phone) and put themselves into a position of competing with the same travel agencies upon which they depend. The reality is that you can almost always find a better deal by shopping around among on line travel agencies. Even RCI (RCI, Celebrity and Azamara) who maintain strict pricing policies (TAs cannnot advertise lower prices) do allow some TAs to offer amenities (such as on board credits, pre paid gratuities, etc) that can shave hundreds (sometimes thousands) of dollars off the cost of a cruise. We once asked a cruise line (Princess) if they would match a price offered by a large travel agency and Princess said they would not match the price (we booked with the TA). As to paper brochures, these are very expensive to print and very expensive to mail. More and more of the mass market cruise lines are cutting-back on brochures in favor of the internet. Most of the lines still do have brochures, but the prices in those brochures are not realistic (nobody pays those prices) and the distribution of the brochures has been drastically reduced. We have cruised with 12 cruise lines (and still cruise more then 2 months a year) and still get brochures in the mail, but the volume has sure been reduced.

Hank

For 25 people, have you contacted the Cruise line's "groups" department directly. They can offer goodies for that many cabins booked at once.

Some cruiselines are no longer printing out paper brochures.

 

Carnival has stopped.

HAL is still is printing brochures.

Every once in a while I get Princess and DD19 gets Seabourne:confused:

HAL has stopped printing glossy brochures. :(

They have some 'cruise atlases' that are going to TA but I don't think they are being sent to guests.

As with most major purchases, do comparasion shopping. Price a few TA's and the cruise lines direct. Most cruise lines offer TA's amenity points when booking groups, which the TA can then turn into perks for those in that group. They might be offered enough points for upgrades, merchandise, shipboard credit and things like that. And not always limited to just one perk either. Ask about this when you call the cruise line direct as well. THAT will surprise them for sure. I don't suggest you overdo your research though...all that might do is confuse you to the point of frustration.

Also, ask your friends and family if they know an TA they trust. Good luck.

Maxine