book directly with cruise line?

My travel agent is retiring and I'm thinking about booking directly with princess cruise line. Anyone recommend this? I feel pretty confident with my ability to choose voyage, cabin,etc. This will be my 9th cruise. Thanks for you input.

Since you are pretty cruise savvy, you will be able to handle the booking with no trouble. You can transfer the booking to a travel agent if you find one giving some good perks. It pays to shop around. Good luck!

I know recommending an agent isn't allowed on cruise critic. Can you recommend how to go about finding a travel agent who offers perks? I'm just looking for the process not names. Our local agents don't seem to offer anything extra.

I know recommending an agent isn't allowed on cruise critic. Can you recommend how to go about finding a travel agent who offers perks? I'm just looking for the process not names. Our local agents don't seem to offer anything extra.

Look at large business entities that have travel services as well as agencies that specialize in cruise on the Internet. Hint

I know recommending an agent isn't allowed on cruise critic. Can you recommend how to go about finding a travel agent who offers perks? I'm just looking for the process not names. Our local agents don't seem to offer anything extra.

Ask people on cruises if they get a discount and, if so, from whom

Google "discount cruises" or similar and find some of the online agents who offer various perks.

Click on "Cruise Deals" at the top of this page, then go down to More Cruise deals from our newsletter. The first 5 deals listed for Celebrity look very interesting.

I know recommending an agent isn't allowed on cruise critic. Can you recommend how to go about finding a travel agent who offers perks? I'm just looking for the process not names. Our local agents don't seem to offer anything extra.

There are many many threads on CC regarding how to find a TA. So, some searching is in order (if for no other reason than getting used to doing some real research.

That said, here's a post I did earlier this year:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=49449370

My travel agent is retiring and I'm thinking about booking directly with princess cruise line. Anyone recommend this? I feel pretty confident with my ability to choose voyage, cabin,etc. This will be my 9th cruise. Thanks for you input.

Princess allows travel agents to discount fares - the TA can't advertise the discount fare but can offer it when a quote is requested. As a regular Princess cruiser, was your travel agent discounting your fares? My TA routinely discounts Princess cruises at least 8% and sometimes over 10%. When booking expensive cabins or on long cruises that is a substantial discount. If you book directly with Princess you forfeit any discount so my recommendation is to find a good TA.

We book ourselves then check out the local big box stores and auto clubs. If their offering something then we'll transfer it to them a few weeks before final payment.

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Princess allows travel agents to discount fares - the TA can't advertise the discount fare but can offer it when a quote is requested. As a regular Princess cruiser, was your travel agent discounting your fares? My TA routinely discounts Princess cruises at least 8% and sometimes over 10%. When booking expensive cabins or on long cruises that is a substantial discount. If you book directly with Princess you forfeit any discount so my recommendation is to find a good TA.

And, if you want to cruise on a line that doesn't allow TAs to discount, find a TA that will give obc. Before booking ask the TA whether they charge a fee for changing or canceling a booking. If they do, keep shopping.

We much prefer to use a TA -- especially with an agency that doesn't charge a fee if we have to cancel. Also larger agencies pay American Express fees so we also get shipboard credit (besides the perks she gives us) because we own Carnival stock. If we booked directly with HAL, they don't give us that credit.

A Good TA will turn over their client list to a trusted TA within their agency . They wouldn't leave their clients hanging .

Have you asked?

I like to book for myself on the cruise line's website. I suppose I'm a control freak, but it makes me happy researching, choosing, etc. :)

We much prefer to use a TA -- especially with an agency that doesn't charge a fee if we have to cancel. Also larger agencies pay American Express fees so we also get shipboard credit (besides the perks she gives us) because we own Carnival stock. If we booked directly with HAL, they don't give us that credit.

We always get Carnival Shareholder OBC whether we book with a TA or not.

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I've cruised more than a dozen times and all but the first I've booked myself with the cruise lines. Two of the cruises I have booked right now are with a TA who's giving me OBC (from $100 to $300 per cruise). I booked them a few months ago, and so far I'm pleased with the service I'm getting. Some of the roll call from my last cruise have a page on a social media site, and I asked there who they used/recommended. I checked out the TAs they recommended and the one I booked with had the best perks, and I like that I can book online without having to call. As others suggested, do a search and ask other cruisers and eventually you may find a TA that works for you.

Good luck!

:)

Princess allows travel agents to discount fares - the TA can't advertise the discount fare but can offer it when a quote is requested. As a regular Princess cruiser, was your travel agent discounting your fares? My TA routinely discounts Princess cruises at least 8% and sometimes over 10%. When booking expensive cabins or on long cruises that is a substantial discount. If you book directly with Princess you forfeit any discount so my recommendation is to find a good TA.

No my TA didn't give me discounts. Thanks for the advice.

My travel agent is retiring and I'm thinking about booking directly with princess cruise line. Anyone recommend this? I feel pretty confident with my ability to choose voyage, cabin,etc. This will be my 9th cruise. Thanks for you input.

I always book my Princess cruises with a Princess Consultant, best des icon I ever made.

A Good TA will turn over their client list to a trusted TA within their agency . They wouldn't leave their clients hanging .

Have you asked?

She worked alone. Didn't leave me hanging. Told me she is retiring at end of 2016 so not handling any 2017 bookings. She recommended any agent on the west coast but I wanted someone at least in my time zone.

She worked alone. Didn't leave me hanging. Told me she is retiring at end of 2016 so not handling any 2017 bookings. She recommended any agent on the west coast but I wanted someone at least in my time zone.

She recommended "any agent on the west coast" ?

Shows real concern for her clients ? ☹️