Booking with a US travel agent

Hi sorry if this has already been asked before...

Are US travel agents regulated and protected like in the UK?

Am thinking of booking a cruise with a US agent and just want to know what i should be checking for? Any tips or advice would be most welcome.

Thank you

No they are not.

In addition, most cruise lines prohibit US TAs from booking UK customers, due to the lack of coverage.

As number 1025's post, there's no protection similar to the UK's ABTA.

But you can protect your money, with caveats, by paying only with a credit card.

Not sure I agree with 1025's reason for many cruise lines declining to accept bookings via US t/a's for non-North American clients. I suspect it has a lot more to do with the higher prices they can get from Brits, Aussies, etc, and protecting their agents in those countries.

Nonetheless 1025 is right in saying that's the policy of many cruise lines. Some US t/a's adhere to it, some are happy to work round it.

Can be overcome if you use a North American address (any friends or relatives out there?) or some US t/a's use their own address.

Be aware that headline US prices often exclude port fees & taxes, which by law must be included in UK prices. So the price gap is smaller than it appears to be. Get a full price breakdown from the t/a.

Deposits paid to US t/a's are refundable in full up to final payment date, whereas you'll know that in the UK your deposit is forfeit from the moment you pay.

There are other legal / contractual pros & cons, which only come into play in exceptional circumstances.

Since you'll be agreeing to a price in USD, by the time payment is due that may cost you more or less £ sterling, depending on exchange rate fluctuations.

With all international card payments (to the t/a, paying your on-board account, buying things in ports, etc) never agree to the seller converting to sterling before charging your card. Have your card charged in the currency of the seller, and allow your card supplier to convert to sterling at a significantly better exchange rate.

Using US t/a's is much less widespread nowadays, more to do with less-advantageous exchange rates than cruise line policies. Do the maths, & if the saving is small you're better to keep life simple.

JB :)

Some States do have some protection coverage EG California

That said some cruise line prohibit US TA's selling cruises to other Countries other than Canada

You need to ask questions & do some research before booking with a US TA

At least part of the reason for higher prices in the UK relate to the additional consumer rules in the UK.

also when booking in the UK some cruise line include the gratuity in the bottom line

So compare apples to apples when shopping around

Thank you this is most interesting. The price with the us agents is cheaper than uk and you also get drinks and dinning package. Not offered in uk price.

Its an NCL cruise and NCL usa seem happy to take my booking so i thought a us travel agent would be ok?

Any more advice out there? Thank you

There are quite a few older threads on this subject if you use the search button above; here is the most recent, with a further discussion of the ABTA and ATOL perils.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2109700

In the long run, only you can decide which risks you are willing to assume and what that is worth to you. Cruiselines have the right to limit where their affiliated TAs may market and sell cruises; if you do not have a US address to use (or if your personal history record with the cruiseline shows a UK address) you are more likely to face a cancelation or perhaps a rebooking fee when your booking gets found out as being from the UK. If, OTOH, you consistently present yourself in all paperwork as a US based resident, you are unlikely to be noted as a recent visitor from across the pond when you board.

All the other advice about pricing of port fees, taxes, onboard hotel/tip charges, insurance, conversion fees, exchange rates and any other apples to oranges differences between a UK and US booking must naturally be considered in your decision.

Book with a U.S. ta. Use your credit card.

Not only will you get a better price, the terms will be better. IF up the price decreases prior to final payment you get get your fare re-

Priced. You can also cancel with no penalty prior to final payment date.

We live in Canada. We book cruises thru a US on line TA. We have also booked European vacations through a UK site because they were considerably cheaper than booking then in Canada or the US. We booked domestic Turkish air travel on a Turkish site because it was so much than NA sites. Some vendors are trying to control prices in certain markets.