Why book directly with the ship??

This is only our 4th cruise..2nd with Celebrity...just curious on why people book directly with the cruise line? Our 1st cruise was given to us...but the other 3 we have gone thru a TA. And when I compare prices...it has always been cheaper to book with a TA vice directly with the cruise line. Are their occasions when it is cheaper to book directly with the cruise line? extra perks?

I think it's just a matter of preference. I personally always book through a TA, because it's easier for me and I get better perks. I also appreciate the personalized service that comes from using a TA that I know and trust. Plus, it's good to have someone else wait on the phone for 30 minutes to get an answer! Other people get nervous because they have to go through the TA to make changes, and they might rather call up Celebrity directly. Some people have had bad TAs who made the process less than awesome for them.

Typically, any special rate you get through the cruseline, you should be able to get through a TA, but not necessarily vice versa. The TA sometimes gives you perks out of their own pocket, but I've not heard of the cruiseline doing so.

Either way is fine, and you should choose the option that better suits your style of booking/changing a reservation.

We just booked directly through Celebrity for the first time.

Wednesday night the 123go! was extended to March sailings. Thursday morning I checked the website for our "usual" online travel agency and there were no perks listed. I phoned them and sat on hold.

While on hold I went to Celebrity's website and began the booking process. We were booking 2 cabins in Aqua class and were offered a $300 OBC, classic beverage package as well as pre-paid gratuities. I was still on hold with the travel agency so hung up and phoned Celebrity.

When I told the Celebrity agent I wanted to book two cabins and inquired which AQ cabins he had available next to one another he offered that as Captain's Club members (dh and I are select and my father in the 2nd cabin is Elite) we were entitled to a complimentary upgrade from A2 to A1. THEN he offered two adjacent cabins on the hump close to the elevator. My father will be using a wheelchair, so that was a huge bonus.

I just priced the cruise online with the agency we have used in the past. They are now offering the 123go! but only a $200 OBC. Their fare is $100 less than what we paid so it is a wash.

I have to add that our last cruise in 2012 we booked B2B over Christmas and New Year's, 3 cabins week one and 6 cabins week 2, through the online agency. NO upgrade offered and a token credit.

I just find it odd that 1 would bool thru a ship....I got everything the ship offers, plus our TA gave us $500 obc(Aqua class). Just wandering if I was missing something. Some TAs are better than other with service and OBC...pays to shop around.

Some people say they want to "control" their booking. I never understood that one.

We get the same rates that Celebrity offers and a nice OBC from the agent. It's a no brainer to us, but we're all different :)

I book directly with the cruise line so I will have full control over my reservation to make any changes with out going through a TA. Changes include price drop, or room change if a better category room becomes available for a lower price. I have read many times where by the time the TA was contacted the offer expired. After I book I will start looking for a TA who offers a lower price or discount but have not found a TA who makes it worth it to hand over my reservation. Best offer I got was a bottle of wine and chocolate covered strawberries. I also found that by booking a group rate it voids the 123go and all inclusive package. So in the long run if you want the drink package it's not worth handing over the reservation. I have reached out to people I have met on a cruise through Cruise Critic to find out what TA they use and they all book direct through a Celebrity cruise planner.

The one experience I had with a TA was when I booked a Princess cruise. She never called me for final payment. I had an alert set in my phone so I had to call her. She didn't offer a discount or any perks. She didn't do anything that I couldn't do myself. As a matter of fact I did all the work. All she had to do was run my credit card and remind me to make final payment which she failed to do.

If we bump into to each other on board sometime -- I'll give you my agents name ;)

Booking through a T/A does not mean it's a group booking.

It can be -- we wanted a Hawaii cruise that was sold out everywhere --- our agent happened to be doing a group. They had cabins, we got a fantastic hump location at a crazy low price.

I book directly with the cruise line so I will have full control over my reservation to make any changes with out going through a TA. Changes include price drop, or room change if a better category room becomes available for a lower price. I have read many times where by the time the TA was contacted the offer expired. After I book I will start looking for a TA who offers a lower price or discount but have not found a TA who makes it worth it to hand over my reservation. Best offer I got was a bottle of wine and chocolate covered strawberries. I also found that by booking a group rate it voids the 123go and all inclusive package. So in the long run if you want the drink package it's not worth handing over the reservation. I have reached out to people I have met on a cruise through Cruise Critic to find out what TA they use and they all book direct through a Celebrity cruise planner.

 

The one experience I had with a TA was when I booked a Princess cruise. She never called me for final payment. I had an alert set in my phone so I had to call her. She didn't offer a discount or any perks. She didn't do anything that I couldn't do myself. As a matter of fact I did all the work. All she had to do was run my credit card and remind me to make final payment which she failed to do.

Fair enough.

I guess we just have a very good TA.

Yes some TAs do reserve a pile of rooms, I guess what is called a group booking, and that price can be fairly low...and will not include any promotions (1.2.3.Go) Ours does not do that. Price was as bit less than what Celebrity was offering, got all the 1.2.3 Go promotion, plus $500 obc........

For me I think its just a difference in a generation. If I want an airline ticket I go to the airlines website, if I want to rent a car, I go to the car rentals website. If I am looking at a cruise, I go to the cruise lines site. I have grown up in the internet era and don't know anything about TA's because I've never had an occurrence to use one.

If we bump into to each other on board sometime -- I'll give you my agents name ;)

 

Booking through a T/A does not mean it's a group booking.

 

It can be -- we wanted a Hawaii cruise that was sold out everywhere --- our agent happened to be doing a group. They had cabins, we got a fantastic hump location at a crazy low price.

In most cases, a group booking is when the travel agency goes to the cruise line and reserves a large quantity of rooms for a certain sailing which gives them a lower price. They pass some of the savings onto the customer. It's strictly a pricing issue. My online travel agency has group bookings on both legs of my B2B transatlantic in October. I paid $800 p.p. less than booking directly through the cruise line. They also threw in $525 in obc plus prepaid gratuities for the transatlantic leg.

Fair enough.

I guess we just have a very good TA.

 

Yes some TAs do reserve a pile of rooms, I guess what is called a group booking, and that price can be fairly low...and will not include any promotions (1.2.3.Go) Ours does not do that. Price was as bit less than what Celebrity was offering, got all the 1.2.3 Go promotion, plus $500 obc........

What is most frustrating about these threads is that we can't share names of travel agents. I haven't even been able to obtain a name on board. I guess the CC members who I meet up with are in the same boat as I am....Pun intended. I'm not opposed to using a TA I'm just not willing to give someone commission for the work that I did for some cheap wine which isn't a perk since I booked CC and have a drink package plus the sparkling wine that Celebrity gives me.

For me I think its just a difference in a generation. If I want an airline ticket I go to the airlines website, if I want to rent a car, I go to the car rentals website. If I am looking at a cruise, I go to the cruise lines site. I have grown up in the internet era and don't know anything about TA's because I've never had an occurrence to use one.

Lol!! I am 62 but would far rather book anything on line than have to pick up the phone and talk to someone!! I have a host of websites I go to for research, then generally book myself. However, the large online TA I use demands that you call to book, which makes me crazy, but their deals make it worthwhile. I HATE talking on the phone, to anyone for anything.

I have never booked through a TA except for large group trips, but that has changed now. I posted this today regarding my conversation with a Celebrity Rep: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2155216 . Basically, she even thinks you get a better deal with a TA. Lesson learned for me!

Honestly, we book through Celebrity because we don't know how to find a travel agent that's any good. I'm not opposed to it and I KNOW that you can book through a certain big-box wholesale store for which I have a membership card, but is that really the best place to go? Do I just Google "Travel agent cruise?" None of my friends or family travel much, so I can't ask for recommendations... And I can't ask here because you can't share that information :(

I suppose that it's a bit of laziness not wanting to do the legwork to find the right person for me and a little bit of overwhelmed feeling knowing that I can just call Celebrity and make my vacation happen versus galloping into the unknown of "sure it could be worth it, but what happens if I get a bad TA?"

It is a matter of personal preference. Some prefer it so they can control their booking without having to use a middleman. We always use an on line TA & get something, usually an OBC, plus with Celebrity's Mickey mouse site, you are inviting frustration. Let the TA handle it .

We book with Celebrity because we have terrific planner there and if we have any questions or a problem comes up, she takes care of it. She is extremely knowledgable and a pleasure to work with.

I don't have nearly the cruise booking experience of other posters on CC, but I will say I'm an obsessive researcher/planner on any trip and for this first cruise, (just a short 5 day sailing) I checked X site constantly, called and visited sites of many TAs. About 4 months before sail date, I found a group rate w/one TA that was about $100/pp less than X (which is fairly decent savings for a 5 day cruise) and was also eligible for 1-2-3 go drink pkg. The TA does charge for cancellations unless you rebook another cruise within the year and offered less obc than other TAs, but all that was fine with me: I believe I found a fair deal for the cabin location I wanted, at a rate I was happy with. But I had to really work to find this: I checked a whole lot of sites. I'm sure many would feel the savings weren't worth their time, but every little bit helps. :)

Fair enough.

I guess we just have a very good TA.

 

Yes some TAs do reserve a pile of rooms, I guess what is called a group booking, and that price can be fairly low...and will not include any promotions (1.2.3.Go) Ours does not do that. Price was as bit less than what Celebrity was offering, got all the 1.2.3 Go promotion, plus $500 obc........

We just booked 3 cruises B2B2B with a TA and got the 123 Go on 2 of the segments as well as their group price which was much lower than Celebrity's price.

I agree that booking with Celebrity makes it easier when there are price changes and there is no fee for cancellations.`

I guess I just have a very good TA then, as she looks out for me...even on her days off. I don't entirely rely on her, I check around on prices, to ensure she is competitive. On our last cruise I could have gone with someone a bit cheaper, but we like her--trust her, so that counts for something. If I need my cabin changed..I shoot her an email and she makes it happen. I guess if 1 did book with Celebrity, that would happen a bit quicker. Reason u can't give any TAs info on here...guess who pays the bills for this page..fair enough..If I don't like it--I can leave,lol Yes it does take time to find a TA one can trust. Nothing wrong while ur on the cruise to ask if others have 1 they trust. Mine is not from a big box store, so I guess thats why I get better attention.

We book with Celebrity because we have terrific planner there and if we have any questions or a problem comes up, she takes care of it. She is extremely knowledgable and a pleasure to work with.

We get that from our T/A along with hundreds of dollars of OBC.

We do virtually all of our communication via email, including booking.

I'm not suggesting that anyone should change how they like to do things, why would I care - :) ? If you're not using a T/A you are likely "leaving money on the table"

The most important thing is to do it any way you feel comfortable :cool:

Here's a hint. You can sign up on Ctuisse Ctitic for a weekly email showing all the best deals out there. They are usually through a TA. That's a good place to start researching for a TA. . .

We get that from our T/A along with hundreds of dollars of OBC.

 

We do virtually all of our communication via email, including booking.

 

I'm not suggesting that anyone should change how they like to do things, why would I care - :) ? If you're not using a T/A you are likely "leaving money on the table"

 

The most important thing is to do it any way you feel comfortable :cool:

 

Exactly..leaving $$ on the table! lol 1 thing when dealing with a TA---ensure (ask them) that when u pay via credit card--it goes directly to the cruise ship----and NOT charged to that travel agency--if they do charge it to their company--run!!

90% of the time we book on board, get the OBC, transfer it to our TA and get another OBC. I agree, all communication with ours is in emails which creates documentation in case something goes wrong the reservation. We also purchase cruise insurance via the TA, much more reasonable than what X offers, actually better coverage.

Originally Posted by gootzie View Post

For me I think its just a difference in a generation. If I want an airline ticket I go to the airlines website, if I want to rent a car, I go to the car rentals website. If I am looking at a cruise, I go to the cruise lines site. I have grown up in the internet era and don't know anything about TA's because I've never had an occurrence to use one.

 

Lol!! I am 62 but would far rather book anything on line than have to pick up the phone and talk to someone!! I have a host of websites I go to for research, then generally book myself. However, the large online TA I use demands that you call to book, which makes me crazy, but their deals make it worthwhile. I HATE talking on the phone, to anyone for anything.

Embarking on my 3rd cruise in a few days, I've used the same travel agency (but not the same travel agent) for all three. After this time, I am going shopping. The TA was just fine for doing the original booking, but totally unresponsive when I tried to make some additions and changes. On balance I can still see advantages to the TA vs going to Celebrity directly, but finding a good TA seems to be a lot like finding a good honest used-car sales person.

finding a good TA seems to be a lot like finding a good honest used-car sales person.

Isn't that the truth. I especially hate the big online agencies that advertise on CC who inflate the brochure price and compare it to the same price I can get if I booked with the cruise line. That just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I feel like I'm being scammed. I wouldn't support this kind of advertising no matter what they offered.

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