Travel Agents

[SthrnCruiser]

Are TAs able to see what is available any different than we are?

[runawaysoul]

Not really. There's pros and cons. They can offer perks like onboard credit, etc. I think if you research cruise prices, and request a quote on cruise compete (essentially EBAY for cruising, in which TA bid for your business) you'll see the differences between what you can do and what they can do more clearly.

[vankalker]

We just booked through a travel agent, and she was able to get cabins for us that I couldn't. I don't know how else I could have tried, but there were some classes that I just couldn't make the system offer me. We would have ended up with separate cabins for our family if I had booked online myself, but she got us connecting cabins.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[conandrob240]

If you truly mean "see", the answer is yes. TAs have access to a different portal/booking engine and it shows things like # of cabins available and can compare every category side by side for a particular sailing in a way the consumer portal cannot. Is that what you were asking?

[Erwin Family @ Sea]

We just booked through a travel agent, and she was able to get cabins for us that I couldn't. I don't know how else I could have tried, but there were some classes that I just couldn't make the system offer me. We would have ended up with separate cabins for our family if I had booked online myself, but she got us connecting cabins.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Certain cabins and many connecting cabins are not available online, but had you called RC (or any TA they would have called ) the same cabins would have been available.

[matj2000]

In my experience they are able to access a different portal like conandrob240 stated.

 

Depending on the cruiseline, some will hold back cabins unless you inquirer about them.

 

My online TA sees more availability than shown to the public but I have to call and ask...

 

 

 

[oldguysandgalls]

Strange...?:confused:

When we tried booking an accessible cabin directly with the cruise line we were told that all accessible cabins were > ''sold out'' < but yet........when we called a TA, (within 5 minutes after our call to the cruise line) we had a choice of 2 accessible cabins.

[SthrnCruiser]

If you truly mean "see", the answer is yes. TAs have access to a different portal/booking engine and it shows things like # of cabins available and can compare every category side by side for a particular sailing in a way the consumer portal cannot. Is that what you were asking?

 

Yes, that is exactly what I wanted to know.

 

We just booked through a travel agent, and she was able to get cabins for us that I couldn't. I don't know how else I could have tried, but there were some classes that I just couldn't make the system offer me. We would have ended up with separate cabins for our family if I had booked online myself, but she got us connecting cabins.

 

That's what we want, connecting cabins. However, online I can't seem to get those available. The TA that I plan on going with is on a cruise this week, so I'll get with her first of next week and see what she can find for me.

[Cuizer2]

Are TAs able to see what is available any different than we are?

 

Yes, travel agents have access to information that is not available to the general public.

[rpp77]

On a connecting cabin, the room with the sofabed or pullman bed will sometimes not show up as available if you don't put in that your looking for a room for 3 or more people. We just experienced this a few weeks back. I'll map out the ship, find the connecting rooms, and then do mock bookings one at a time until I find a pair that suits us. It is a lot quicker, if you know the specific cabin numbers your looking for and have it narrowed down to one date, to just call Royal though and have them do it.

Edited February 16, 2016 by rpp77

[rdsxgrl28]

Strange...?:confused:

When we tried booking an accessible cabin directly with the cruise line we were told that all accessible cabins were > ''sold out'' < but yet........when we called a TA, (within 5 minutes after our call to the cruise line) we had a choice of 2 accessible cabins.

 

Similar experience, not as important as accessibility, TA was able to book our dining option. RCCL said it was unavailable when I tried on my own. TA had it booked in minutes