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Why would you use a travel agent to book a cruise?


Lou2204
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Just wondering, as I see many people referring to TA's, what are the advantages of using a TA?

 

Obviously they can do the research, but I do my own reasearch online and prefer to book myself, choosing own cabin etc.

 

Not sure what a TA would add, can they get better deals for you? Just to double check, I asked a TA for a price on a cruise I was researching online, and they offered the exact same price.

 

What am I missing?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

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Just wondering, as I see many people referring to TA's, what are the advantages of using a TA?

 

Obviously they can do the research, but I do my own reasearch online and prefer to book myself, choosing own cabin etc.

 

Not sure what a TA would add, can they get better deals for you? Just to double check, I asked a TA for a price on a cruise I was researching online, and they offered the exact same price.

 

What am I missing?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

A good TA can add extra value in that they have access to group space which can add extra amenities and/or lower pricing. They're company may also have promotions on top of whatever the cruise line has.

Also if you run into any issues, they handle it for you so you don't have to sit on hold on a 1-800 number.

They also have relationships with the suppliers so can go to bat for you if you have issues or special requests.

If the one you met didn't impress you, you probably just need to find one that does.

Many other reasons, those are just a few 😊

 

Sent from my SM-G935W8 using Forums mobile app

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Because a strong travel agent can cut through the red tape at a cruise line and can be your advocate if something goes wrong and can also provide you with additional amenities beyond what the cruise line can provide. And there are times that a TA no matter how knowledgeable you think you are can help you save money and/or avoid making some mistakes.

 

Keith

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Because a strong travel agent can cut through the red tape at a cruise line and can be your advocate if something goes wrong and can also provide you with additional amenities beyond what the cruise line can provide. And there are times that a TA no matter how knowledgeable you think you are can help you save money and/or avoid making some mistakes.

 

Keith

 

This is the most important one to me. There are other advantages but when the you know what hits the fan, a good TA can be invaluable and maybe save the cruise.

 

DON

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We have been fortunate to have found a good TA that we have used for over 26 years.

Like the fact we get lower prices, extra perks like shipboard credit, bottles of good wine, free dinners in the specialty restaurants, etc.

And should a problem happen, she deals with it -- not us. And over the years we have had some problems happen -- like HAL cancelling a couple of our cruises. She knows what cabin category we like and when these cancelled cruises happened, she spent hours with supervisors getting the cruise and cabin we wanted -- not just the couple of choices HAL offered us.

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Because a strong travel agent can cut through the red tape at a cruise line and can be your advocate if something goes wrong and can also provide you with additional amenities beyond what the cruise line can provide. And there are times that a TA no matter how knowledgeable you think you are can help you save money and/or avoid making some mistakes.

 

Keith

 

This sums it up 100%. Plus, my TA knows that I'll probably like A more than B based on my past experiences with trips he's booked for me.

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I wouldn't. There have been no perks offered that equal the inconvenience of having to go through a 3rd party to make changes to my reservation.

 

There may be great TAs out there, but half the fun for me in travel is making my own arrangements and doing research on the places I plan to visit.

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If a TA that merely quotes the cruise line offer without giving you something better , move on .

They may assume that your not a shopper ? Would you buy a car @ Sticker Price ?

(Think of the current cruise line offer available to all as Sticker Price.)

Find a Good TA who is a Cruise Specialist with an Agency that specializes in Cruises.

If you are booking direct , you are shortchanging yourself both in value , advice and problem solving.

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Personally I have used PCCs instead of TAs although I guess they are sort of TAs. I've gotten lots of upgrades and extra OBC. But i also check the line's web site frequently even after booking to keep an eye on prices. PCCs, like TAs, it's a crapshoot to get a good one. My first PCC was spectacular then several were just meh, but now think I've found another good one.

 

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mine always gives me additional OBC in addition to what the cruise line might be offering. THe amount given depends upon the length and cost of the cruise but has always been at least $200. SO, why would I not use her to book my travel? If your agent is not giving you something in appreciation for your business you need to find another agent. I would recommend mine but rules prohibit me from doing so.

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Ours was fantastic. He worked on cruise lines for years beforehand and could talk is through the whole procedure and what was at each port from personal experience rather than reading it off a screen. He gave invaluable advice about which cabin and which cruise line would suit us and found us a longer cruise with more ports for very little extra money. No idea what we'd have ended up with without him!

 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Forums mobile app

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Our last cruise on Oasis was a family cruise. Three cabins and 7 people. The extras from the online TA we used gave us pre-paid grats for 7,specialty dinning for 7, and a limited trip insurance policy for 7. All in all about $1300.00 in freebee's. We are in the US, TA'S and cruise line booking may be much different in the Netherlands. happy cruising

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Thanks all for your valuable advice!! So many excellent reasons for using a TA. It's just that I never used one for my personal trips (I only did for business travel) and we only recently started going on cruises, so I just couldn't see why I would start now. Always booked my own flights and hotel rooms for,our regular travels.

 

But I can see the point now if you cruise regularly, only thing now is to find a good one.....

 

Thanks again!!

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For us it is simply a matter of money. And when it comes to longer HAL cruises, the savings can in the thousands of dollars on a single booking. As a basic rule we can usually save 7 - 10% of the cruise fare by using a cruise agency. The savings may come in the form of substantial On Board Credits, lower cruise fare, pre paid gratuities, or other amenities. Not all cruise/travel agencies are the same so we have long suggested that folks will usually do best by shopping around among several reputable cruise agencies.

We recently did an advance booking (for HAL) and will soon shop around for the best deal....after which we will have the booking transferred to that specific agency.

 

Hank

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Thanks all for your valuable advice!! So many excellent reasons for using a TA. It's just that I never used one for my personal trips (I only did for business travel) and we only recently started going on cruises, so I just couldn't see why I would start now. Always booked my own flights and hotel rooms for,our regular travels.

 

But I can see the point now if you cruise regularly, only thing now is to find a good one.....

 

Thanks again!!

I have a great one are you in the US

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Forums mobile app

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Finding a "good one" might be fine for some, but it is not the way to maximize the savings. The problem is that we have never found one Agency that always has the best deals on all cruise lines. That is why we now price out most of our cruises with at least 3 (and often 5) different agencies that we trust. One particular agency we use seems to usually have the best overall deals on RCI products (RCI, Celebrity and Azamara. But that particular agency does not come close (price wise) on many CCL lines such as Princess and HAL. We do not shop around to save $50.....but are looking for hundreds and even thousands. When we decide to book a cruise it might take me 30-60 min to price out our cruise with several agencies, but the savings more then offset our investment in time.

 

And consider that you have nothing to lose by shopping around...other then a little time. Get the details from your favorite agency (cruise price, OBCs, amenities) and then, before booking, spend a little time seeing if a few other reputable agencies can offer you significantly better deals. Keep in mind that you are talking about business transactions, not loyalty :). I once had a favorite cruise agent (now retired and cruising herself) and I used to tell her she was my favorite cruise agent as long as she had the best deals (she usually did).

 

Hank

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