Direct vs TA

[Bases5]

I have always booked direct and controlled my own vacation.

However we booked thru a TA for our up coming Oasis cruise.

 

What exact control will we lose and what can we still do on our own without going thru the TA

[mark22mac]

I always book myself and I check the price of my cruise everyday if it drops I can immediately call and get the price reduction. I also make monthly payments through the website. I had a TA one time that missed my price drop I wasn't happy so now I do everything myself.

[Ourusualbeach]

You will still be able to book your own shore excursions, dining and entertainment reservations.

 

You cannot call for price drops, make payments or change cabins.

[trev71]

My first 5 cruises I used a TA. This time I booked everything my self. Last time my TA was giving me grief calling her about price drops. She said nobody has called in all her years looking for a price drop. That is when I knew it was a good idea to kick them to the curb and do it all myself. Even booking flights by yourself is so easy. I didn't realize how easy it was

[Gopher1934]

You will still be able to book your own shore excursions, dining and entertainment reservations.

 

You cannot call for price drops, make payments or change cabins.

 

I often Book my own cruise then transfer the reservation to a TA and receive extra OBC. I have been able to change cabins and recieve price drops thru the TA. It has work out great for us. I used to keep it all on my own I don't like losing control but this has worked great.

[American Bear]

First of all a TA should be watching for price reductions, if they aren't get rid of them!

A TA will usually get you more extras for no extra charge, if they don't, get rid of them!

So if you get a good TA, they will get you the best price, watch for lower prices, or upgrades, and get you some extras.:D

[ripjerry95]

A TA will also look for price drops. He/she can also help you as your advocate if anything should happen. They can usually get you some other amenities etc. I always use a TA. Mine is EXCELLENT. Remember the cruise line are under no obligation to give you an OBC as a price drop.

[Desert Cruizers]

I book with our local TA, if there is a price drop, I email her or call and she immediately gets the price drop or makes any requested changes. It comes down to what has worked the best for you. I have read the problems others have encountered with their TA's and it is unfortunate, because there are excellant ones and have more weight to handle any issues that may come up with your reservation. Myself, I could just as easily book a cruise direct with RCCL but prefer to have she and her staff handle our reservations. Only once has she had to jump in and handle a problem when a cruise lines suddenly moved us to another cabin without notice. We were back in our original cabin in 5 min.

[GoingOnce]

I always book myself and I check the price of my cruise everyday if it drops I can immediately call and get the price reduction. I also make monthly payments through the website. I had a TA one time that missed my price drop I wasn't happy so now I do everything myself.

 

I'm a first time cruiser and I used RCCL's website to book. For a fully paid reservation, is it still possible to get the price reduction, even as OBC? Is there any time limit to request it, or can I do so even a week after the price has gone down?

[iancal]

I do not understand the control issue.

 

We book through our on line TA. We have just as much control over the booking as we do if we book with the cruise line. Or am I missing an attribute of booking direct?

[rincewind3]

I'm a first time cruiser and I used RCCL's website to book. For a fully paid reservation, is it still possible to get the price reduction, even as OBC? Is there any time limit to request it, or can I do so even a week after the price has gone down?

 

You can get a price reduction as long as it's before the final payment date. It doesn't matter if it's paid or not.

[Clarea]

I'm a first time cruiser and I used RCCL's website to book. For a fully paid reservation, is it still possible to get the price reduction, even as OBC? Is there any time limit to request it, or can I do so even a week after the price has gone down?

If the price is reduced after final payment date and you booked within 48 hours of a price reduction, you can get 110% of the reduction as OBC. Otherwise no credit of any kind.

Edited April 26, 2015 by clarea

[GoingOnce]

Ok, thanks! I'll need to check my calendar.

[meripour]

My first 5 cruises I used a TA. This time I booked everything my self. Last time my TA was giving me grief calling her about price drops. She said nobody has called in all her years looking for a price drop. That is when I knew it was a good idea to kick them to the curb and do it all myself. Even booking flights by yourself is so easy. I didn't realize how easy it was

 

my same experience. Booked with a TA becuase the 'group' we went with did. She was not happy when I advertised the price drop, which she had to honor for everyone - reluctantly - and made sure there were no gratutity in my room as promised.

[grandgeezer]

You will still be able to book your own shore excursions, dining and entertainment reservations.

 

You cannot call for price drops, make payments or change cabins.

 

I e-mail my agent and get price drops and cabin changes. I have no interest in making payments. The several hundred dollars in perks is free money.

[impatientlywaiting]

I prefer to make my own bookings while I'm onboard a ship. I don't turn them over to a TA because, like others, I prefer to have complete control over my bookings and not depend on anyone else to make any changes I might want made right then. I get enough OBC on my own (my last cruise I ended up having to pay $36 to get off the ship!)! To each his own and this works best for me! :)

[Summerknight]

We use a local travel agent and have for years. I use the theory of "everyone has to make a living" I can't call RCI for a price drop or to transfer a booking, but my TA has never complained about any of these things.

She has caught price drops for us and responds quickly to any questions via email or phone.

We are very happy with her.

[susancruzs]

I've been using the same TA/Online Agency for 15 years and couldn't be happier.

 

Booking as a single, the cruise line price is always hundreds of dollars more than what my TA gives me. I get price reductions and once I had to mention about a price drop, but she was out of town, and the office gals were swamped. It was handled so no biggie.

 

I've been cruising 30+ years, sold travel years ago, I'm comfortable having someone do it for me. I know the ropes, how things work, so at this stage of my life, feel it is better to work with an agency.

[Jackamama]

I think it depends where you are. No real benefit to using a travel agent in the UK, and if there's a problem of any kind, the cruise line will not communicate directly with the customer if they booked through a travel agent.

 

Travel Agents in the US seem to have a different function, and perks that those in the UK can't offer. It's best to do whatever works best for you.

 

 

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[grandgeezer]

I prefer to make my own bookings while I'm onboard a ship. I don't turn them over to a TA because, like others, I prefer to have complete control over my bookings and not depend on anyone else to make any changes I might want made right then. I get enough OBC on my own (my last cruise I ended up having to pay $36 to get off the ship!)! To each his own and this works best for me! :)

 

My last 4 cruises, we took almost $1,000 home with us. These were long B2Bs in a balcony.

[mark22mac]

It's not cheaper using a TA and you usually always get an obc when you book your next cruise while on the ship.

[APDMOM]

We also started booking with a TA after learning that they give much better OBC and other incentives. We usually get between $200 and $300 for balcony cabins.

 

We can still book entertainment, dining, shore excursions, complete online check in, print luggage tags... anything I would want to do.

 

OurTA is also great to get us price drops and has never complained about it. So, if you have a bad TA, fire them and get a better one. However, I also understand some people need the security they feel in controling the entire booking. To us, "free" money is worth giving up the control to a trustworthy TA.

[grandgeezer]

It's not cheaper using a TA and you usually always get an obc when you book your next cruise while on the ship.

 

You can get a cheaper price from a travel agency IF they have a group booking for the cruise you are interested in. You can also take that cruise you booked on a previous cruise to get an obc, and transfer it to a travel agent. You will get everything you got from the cruise line PLUS whatever extra the travel agency will throw in. It could be more obc, prepaid gratuities, dinner in a specialty restaraunt, spa treatments, or any combonation of these.

[whitshel]

It's not cheaper using a TA and you usually always get an obc when you book your next cruise while on the ship.

 

If you book your cruise while on a cruise you get the next obc but then if you transfer it to a t/a you get even more. We got $200 obc, dinner in a specialty restaurant and a spa treatment, plus the next $100 obc for a $945 ov balcony on oasis. Pretty good in my mind for " not having control " $200 obc, $99 spa treatment, chops $70 that's an extra $369 for booking with a t/a. Plus the next $100.

[Summerknight]

When booking on the ship you can use your current travel agent, no travel agent or assign a new travel agent. Your current travel agents' info is already in the computer.