TA or book direct with cruise line?

[pzbz]

I am thinking about booking my first river cruise. I have usually booked with a TA for ocean cruises. Is there an advantage in booking directly wit the river cruise company?:)

Thanks for your input!

[Host Jazzbeau]

I am thinking about booking my first river cruise. I have usually booked with a TA for ocean cruises. Is there an advantage in booking directly wit the river cruise company?:)

Thanks for your input!

 

Welcome to the River Cruising forum!

 

There's a lot to learn before booking your first river cruise. I suggest you start by reading the sticky New to RIVER CRUISING??? at the top of this forum, especially the downloadable pdf:

http://pdf.cruisecritic.com/travel-guide/UltimateGuidetoRiverCruising.pdf?et_cid=1262487&et_rid=99616845

which discusses each cruise line and compares them to ocean cruise lines and hotels [this will give you a frame of reference]. The range among river cruise lines that market in the US is fairly small -- but there are differences from the bottom to the top, and the prices don't vary as much as it first appears because the more expensive lines include more things that cost extra on the "cheaper" lines. For information on choosing a river, read the sticky River Cruise Basics articles on Cruise Critic at the top of this forum. I also recommend the book Berlitz guide to River Cruising in Europe by Douglas Ward, which may be found at your public library.

 

As to your specific question about TAs, the situation is pretty much the same as it is with ocean cruising. There is no benefit to booking direct [although some people feel they keep more control this way – I don't see it]. You can get big discounts from big-box TAs, but the people you are dealing with aren't likely to be able to give you any advice and when things go wrong you may find that they aren't there to help you. IMHO the best bet is to find a good TA who is experienced with river cruising. I am very happy with the one I have, but unfortunately the rules of Cruise Critic prohibit any of us from mentioning TAs by name.

[pzbz]

Thanks somuch...how I love my CC family of support!!:)

[JVilleGal]

Zero advantages of booking direct, IMHO and about 10% of the fare benefit by booking with certain TA's (Google Luxury Cruise Agents)

[CPT Trips]

Two lines, Vantage and GCT, only book direct with the consumer.

[Lois R]

I recently booked my first River cruise and used a TA that I know....they

are very knowledgeable and have done many river cruises.....they are

also taking care of my gratuities for me.:) So it is all good!!!!

Same questions are asked on Ocean Cruises too....some folks like booking

their own cruises while others use Travel Agents.

Edited October 19, 2015 by Lois R

[webfoot]

I have always used a TA. Great discounts! I've used the same company for over 12 years!

 

 

Pat

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[janetcbl]

If you are willing and have the time to do the research, I suggest booking on your own...but do the research! CC is a great starting place. I have only used a TA once, and although he was very good, I hated having to do all the changes, additions, air using him as a middle man. I would rather do it myself. But if you are just starting to travel, a good TA can give you all sorts of great ideas. It is really an amazing individual choice, just as which major cruise line you prefer.

[jklc123]

We do the research, decide which cruise we want, any pre- or post-cruise DYI stays and perameters of flights and let our TA book, resulting in hefty on board credits and other perqs. We then have her backing if problems arise, which is rare but nice to have if needed.

[JVilleGal]

We do the research, decide which cruise we want, any pre- or post-cruise DYI stays and perameters of flights and let our TA book, resulting in hefty on board credits and other perqs. We then have her backing if problems arise, which is rare but nice to have if needed.

 

 

Ditto this! The back up is great and generally 10% of the cruise price ends up in my pocket thru reduction in price, OBC etc! At the price of River Cruises it allowed us to upgrade our cabin category and bring less bottom line cash to the final pmt.

[Hydrokitty]

Two lines, Vantage and GCT, only book direct with the consumer.

 

If you are willing and have the time to do the research, I suggest booking on your own...but do the research! CC is a great starting place. I have only used a TA once, and although he was very good, I hated having to do all the changes, additions, air using him as a middle man. I would rather do it myself. But if you are just starting to travel, a good TA can give you all sorts of great ideas. It is really an amazing individual choice, just as which major cruise line you prefer.

 

I have used Vantage for 8 cruises and am an admitted control freak who had a bad experience the one and only time I used a TA! I like dealing with the company directly and talking to the person who is actually making (or changing) my flight arrangements while she's doing them! As for perks, it's true I don't get things like tips included, but after the 3rd trip with Vantage I do get perks, like free laundry, discounted optional excursions, my choice of airline, etc. Sometimes I think a TA will steer you toward the company that gives THEM the best deal and not always YOU. If you feel comfortable making your own arrangements then do it yourself, but if you don't have much travel experience or don't feel comfortable looking into all the little details yourself, then find a good TA and use him/her. It is, as always, a matter of personal choice.

Edited October 19, 2015 by Hydrokitty

[suspaul]

In the past we always booked our own directly with the cruise lines however we were referred by a friend to a TA and have used the TA for our last 3 river cruises and couldn't be happier with the discounts. We have done 5 river cruises with VIKING so we get perks with them, the TA gives a nice monetary discount and we still get our VIKING perks, so it's a win win situation as far as we're concerned.

[Magnum60]

Keep in mind that unless you cruise every month with the same cruise line you will soon be forgotten by the cruise agent you did your booking with. That agent has to almost assume that you may never return to book another cruise with them and if you do - it might be some time before you do.

On the other hand a professional TA might deal with the line and likely the agent you drew several times a month bringing considerable revenue to that cruise line.

Now who do you think is going to have the inside track :rolleyes:? Simply sleeping at a Holiday Inn isn't going to make you a TA :D. With all the fare choices, restrictions and hidden TA only deals [deals you will likely never find] why jump through all the hoops setting up a cruise or flight that a professional agent can do standing on their head? Price? The chance of you finding a lower price is usually a fantasy.

I gave up doing my own travel bookings when airplanes turned into cattle transports and ocean liners turned into amusement parks. That doesn't mean that I don't do a ton of research, I just don't have any interest looking for elusive deals that agents are offered or in booking the actual trip.

[need2travel1]

We booked our river cruise directly w/ Uniworld, we had tried 2 different travel agents (1 big name & 1 "luxury") and gave up on both of them when we realized that thanks to CC & reading the fine prints in the brochure, etc we knew more than both TA's did. I'm sure most TA's are terrific but we found it easier/better to go directly thru Uniworld.

[Hydrokitty]

We booked our river cruise directly w/ Uniworld, we had tried 2 different travel agents (1 big name & 1 "luxury") and gave up on both of them when we realized that thanks to CC & reading the fine prints in the brochure, etc we knew more than both TA's did. I'm sure most TA's are terrific but we found it easier/better to go directly thru Uniworld.

 

I agree but I notice you're new to this thread, so I'm going to tell you to carefully read every communication you get from Uniworld very carefully as soon as possible after you get it. If there's anything that doesn't seem right to you, call them immediately...this is not to imply in any way that there's a problem with Uniworld or any other line, but mistakes happen and the sooner you discover them, the better chance you have of their resolution in your favor.

[Coral]

I have booked with the same cruise travel agent since 97 or 98. I appreciate her specialized expertise - she has cruised extensively and is a top producer with several large cruise lines. I also like that she saves me money off of my cruises. When I decided to go on my river cruise, I was delighted that she also books river cruises. IMO - a Travel Agent is worth their weight in gold. If you find the right one, you will realize how great they can be. If you have one for your regular cruises, ask if they will book you on a river cruise.

Edited October 23, 2015 by Coral

[nancyevans]

After a recent poor experience with a supposedly experienced TA, I would book directly. The TA actually made things very confusing, misled us and we turned out to know more than she did.

But, if you do it yourself, look at everything carefully and compare exactly what is included and what will cost extra.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Almost every person that posts that they book directly mentions a bad experience with a Travel Agent. I suspect many of them have had bad experiences with auto mechanics, doctors, etc -- but they don't try to take out their own appendix! If you book directly you leave money on the table. If you book directly, you must do all the research yourself. If you book directly, you have no one in your corner [at a telephone] when things go wrong. So it is worth the effort to find a good travel agent.

[Hydrokitty]

Almost every person that posts that they book directly mentions a bad experience with a Travel Agent. I suspect many of them have had bad experiences with auto mechanics, doctors, etc -- but they don't try to take out their own appendix! If you book directly you leave money on the table. If you book directly, you must do all the research yourself. If you book directly, you have no one in your corner [at a telephone] when things go wrong. So it is worth the effort to find a good travel agent.

 

True Jazz, but I would get a new auto mechanic and another doctor's opinion :D

 

I actually enjoy doing all the research myself....DH says he thinks I enjoy the planning more than the going....he could be right...it probably is worth the effort to find a good travel agent....but then I would have to give up control and I have a problem with that :D

[JVilleGal]

Not only is my TA great but I would have lost nearly $1800 had I booked direct! Why would I do that ???

[Coral]

True Jazz, but I would get a new auto mechanic and another doctor's opinion :D

 

I actually enjoy doing all the research myself....DH says he thinks I enjoy the planning more than the going....he could be right...it probably is worth the effort to find a good travel agent....but then I would have to give up control and I have a problem with that :D

 

I don't understand the control thing..... I can call my agent on weekends and evenings and she does things right away. She is open longer hours than most cruise lines.

 

Something that Jazz says makes some sense - if something goes wrong, I personally would rather have a travel professional fighting for me. For example - the agent I use sells millions with a specific cruise line - if something goes wrong, this cruise line is more likely to get this fixed for my agent who represents millions yearly to her as opposed to me being one person who only brings a few thousand dollars to them.

 

I am also into saving money. For me it is a win-win situation.

 

-----

 

I did use a bad Travel Agent for one cruise and I can personally understand about being burned. But I found someone really good. So just because you had a bad experience with one agent doesn't mean all of them in the future will be bad.

[Host Jazzbeau]

True Jazz, but I would get a new auto mechanic and another doctor's opinion :D

 

I actually enjoy doing all the research myself....DH says he thinks I enjoy the planning more than the going....he could be right...it probably is worth the effort to find a good travel agent....but then I would have to give up control and I have a problem with that :D

 

I consider myself as Type-A as they come, and I don't feel that I have lost any control by using my TA. I do the planning, if I have a question (fewer now with more experience) I ask her advice and add it to everything else I've found. I make the decisions. I usually make a courtesy booking (on ocean cruises) and turn it over to her [she actually has a much longer "courtesy" window that I can get]. I always choose the cabin. -- And she implements my choices and gives me some money back out of her commission. When the cruise line has long phone queues, she's the one waiting on hold. If the price goes down, she goes to bat to make sure I get the deal (even on occasion when the terms clearly didn't apply). If something goes wrong, she can work on my behalf from her office here while I'm somewhat incommunicado in Europe. It feels to me like having a suite with a butler [which I have never had] -- she does only what I ask, but leaves me in complete control. And she has resources that I don't. But that's just my take, and obviously you and others see it differently. Thankfully we can each make our own choices.

[rogerdawhip]

Many of you say there is no benefit to booking direct. I had an entirely different experience.

 

A few years ago I booked a river cruise direct with AMA. I was traveling with some friends who booked through a TA. I was given a $500 discount for booking direct that my friends did not receive. They cancelled with their TA and rebooked direct with AMA and received the discount.

Edited October 23, 2015 by rogerdawhip

[JVilleGal]

Your friends obviously had the wrong TA!

[JPH814]

I had an interesting experience just yesterday with Uniworld.

 

I did all my research on my own like always (I am type AAA+!) so I knew what I wanted. I had intended to book through my TA who I have used for every one of my cruises. But I had a very specific question that I knew my agent would not know - although he would have called, gotten the info, and returned to me with the answer. I thought it would be easier to skip the middle man.

 

So I called Uniworld and got the answer to my question. (I posted the issue on a separate thread "Booking air through Uniworld" - it might interest some of you) The woman from Uniworld was very helpful. She asked if I wanted to book the cruise. I told her I wanted to book with my agent. She said since she had all of the information, she would simply book it, give me the booking number and then my agent could call Uniworld.

 

I did. I called my agent. Gave him the booking number and my credit card number. He called Uniworld and finished the deal - and also credited me with the usual discount his agency provides.

 

So - at least as it works with my agent and Uniworld - I got the exact same outcome plus a nice piece of cash I would not have gotten If I booked directly with Uniworld.