Travel Agent or Book Direct

[Blackrat]

Hi,

 

Never really thought about this until recently when I noticed that folks seemed to be getting extra onboard credit via travel agents.

 

I have only booked direct and got the usual free parking, some onboard credit via the onboard deposit scheme (can't remember its proper title) and an early booking price saving of 10%. It is obvious that a lot of people book via a TA, is that the better way to do it? Does it depend on when you book? If so is it better to book direct with P&O if early or later with TA or the other way round?

 

Any thoughts would be welcome as I am going on a cruise next month and was planning on doing the onboard deposit thing, it seems to make sense as it doesn't cost any extra and you get OBC (we plan to book or more likely cruise within a year). If I were to use a TA can you still use the onboard deposit scheme and do you still get the OBC?

 

Thanks,

Blackrat

[jo-b]

You can transfer the FCD booked onboard to a TA. At least we did to teh one we had booked the cruise we were on when doing the future cruise booking.

 

We always use a TA Jane as she knows the ships inside out, knows P&O's rules better than soem of the staff and gives us super service and good prices.

[Blackrat]

Thank Jo,

 

Do TA's generally work out cheaper or have better offers than a direct booking with P&O?

 

Blackrat

[tom_uk]

Thank Jo,

 

Do TA's generally work out cheaper or have better offers than a direct booking with P&O?

 

Blackrat

 

It used to be the case that you would get a bit of extra discount, or some extra OBC by booking with a travel agent, especially an on-line or telephone TA. However, from this year P&O (and Cunard?) reduced the amount of commission they pay to TAs; anecdotally, I believe TAs now get 5% as against (up to) 15% in the past. As a result TAs have a lot less margin from which to offer discounts.

 

Note that this refers to 'regular' sales only, that is cabins on cruises some distance in the future, or cabins in special promotions set up by P&O, e.g. the current '10% Celebratory discount'. I don't know what arrangements apply to the really cheap late-booking deals that you see; it might be that TAs are able to make offers in that situation.

 

 

We've got three cruises booked: two this year, including one of the Grand Event cruises, and one for 2013. We pre-booked the Grand Event cruise with a TA as soon as we heard about it in April last year, and they were able to convert it to a real booking on the day that they went on sale, so well done them. Then we booked our second cruise for this year while on board Ventura last year, and we had the booking transferred to the same TA. For 2013 we can no longer see any point in using a TA: we have no special requirements, we always book a long time in advance, and we're experienced cruisers so we know what we want. We therefore booked our 2013 cruise on-line, direct with P&O, and that's the first time we've done that.

[Blackrat]

Hi Tom,

 

Thanks for the reply, a lot of useful info there.

 

I usually have to book my leave in October for the following holiday period. So for this year in October I will book my April 2013-April 2014 leave. Its a pain in the tush but thats the way it goes.

 

Reading your reply it seems that there wouldn't be much advantage in going to a TA. We book early to make sure we get what we want, booking late might mean no holiday, too big a risk.

 

I can't say I'm an experienced cruiser, but I do know what I want and spend a lot of time picking the right cabin ect. So it looks like direct booking is the way to go for me.

 

It does raise one question though, where is the advantage of a TA, ok with last minute deals, sure, but they can't make a living just on those?

 

Thanks,

Blackrat

[Jenna109]

We always use a TA as if there is a query or problem they are very good at getting in touch with the cruise line and sorting it for us. This saves us hanging on the phone, etc. etc. We have three cruises booked at the moment with Bolsover - used them before and they are very good at getting back to us when they say they will. They have always been very good giving us discounts and we certainly cannot beat their prices when we go direct to the cruise line. I have no doubt other TA's will give this service as they all want regular customers.

We too book well in advance if it is a particular cruise and have saved thousands of pounds doing so. Booked New England with Celebrity July last year for this September - £4200 when booked - now selling at £6200!!! Even Americans cannot believe the price increase.

[LibraLass41]

Jenna

Your not allowed to mention particular TA's ('advertise) on this forum.

 

A Mod will probably remove your comment soon (but I do know the UK one is on a cruise at the moment so it might stay on for a while lol !:) )

[tom_uk]

....

It does raise one question though, where is the advantage of a TA, ok with last minute deals, sure, but they can't make a living just on those?

....

 

I think Jenna said it: a TA will sort out any problems or requests for you. In our cases, however, we've never hit any problems nor had any special requests - we're bog-standard fit & healthy passengers, so for us it's always been make the booking, open the chequebook on the appropriate dates and then turn up at Southampton. We're easy for the cruise line to please, and they haven't caused us any problems either. So for us direct booking seems OK.

 

 

Update: I suppose I ought to say that we were pleased that the TA was able to get us the booking on the Grand Event cruise - people who didn't use TAs for those cruises had some problems, I think, as those cruises sold out very quickly.

 

Also, some years ago we booked with a TA at a road show they ran and afterwards they went broke! In that case the cruise line picked up our booking and we were treated as a direct booking from then on.

[Thejuggler]

TAs get 6 weeks per year for cruise promotions and at these times further reductions, low deposit, OBC, free parking could be offered.

 

When we booked last time two agents had an OBC offer, none of the others did. We then picked up some on board vouchers as a current offer was backdated to our booking.

 

So the only advice is to shop around to get the best deal.

[Jenna109]

Sorry about putting Ta name:eek: Sensible when you think about it but you just get typing and hope to help other cruisers

[paul.ed]

Hello

 

I was going to go thru a TA, but decided against it when they wanted £35pp booking fee for 4 of us. So decided to book direct with P&O, saving £140. Also they charge 2.5% credit card use. P&O charged 1.5%, so saved a little bit there as well. (I always prefer to use credit card when making payments) We are on a 3 night mini cruise break to Bruges and Le Havre.

 

Regards

 

Paul

[jeanlyon]

I've never heard of a TA taking a booking fee? Wonder who that was.

[tom_uk]

I've never heard of a TA taking a booking fee? Wonder who that was.

 

Perhaps it's a response to the lowered commission rates. Though obviously not a successful one.

[paul.ed]

I've never heard of a TA taking a booking fee? Wonder who that was.

 

Not sure if this will get deleted, apologies in advance.

 

Think advert with Usain Bolt in.

[violet3]

I always book direct, and this time ,i had a problem i wrote direct to P&O as there was no travel agent involved, problem sorted in less than a week and a refund.

[jeanlyon]

Going by another thread where a disabled cabin was upgraded to one far away from the parents, P&O were useless and would not move the cabin back. However, the TA was contacted and they did get it changed. So I would go with the TA every time.

[dab1952]

Could anyone explain what the "on-board credit thing" is please. It sounds like a good way of getting OBC

[sire_bobbie]

Always used a TA, we usually cruise with only a month or two's notice. The TA's are usually cheaper and have always sorted any problems or queries we have.