Pros/Cons of using TA

[Surfguyxxx]

Besides the service you get, using a travel agent can get you perks, such as on board credit, free gratuities, free specialty restaurants, free insurance, etc.

 

One downside is that you can no longer deal directly with the cruise line with issues such as price drops, payments, cancellation, stateroom change, etc.

 

To that statement, I am the one who always tells my TA what floor and room I want. I rarely get any discount in the form of credits or upgrades. It's sad that I/we give the business but get nothing in return. AHHHHHH the distress of not making him part of our cruises.:(

[feealicious]

I'm my own travel agent. I do 2-3 all inclusive trips a year and love planning and having control of the details. Don't like going through a middle man. Half the fun is doing the planning of the trip!

[matj2000]

I'm my own travel agent. I do 2-3 all inclusive trips a year and love planning and having control of the details. Don't like going through a middle man. Half the fun is doing the planning of the trip!

 

 

 

I plan my entire trip just like you do.

 

However I do it through another website that is much easier to use than that RC disaster.

 

When I find what I want, I make a phone call, tell them what I want and they sit on hold with RC.

 

I really don't understand your "control" thing. I have complete control also.

 

If I need to change anything, I call the "middle man" and they deal with RC nonsense and hold times.

 

Than I get all my gratuities paid which adds up since I always have 2 cabins.

 

The extra OBC is nice also...

[Hoopster95]

I plan my entire trip just like you do.

 

However I do it through another website that is much easier to use than that RC disaster.

 

When I find what I want, I make a phone call, tell them what I want and they sit on hold with RC.

 

I really don't understand your "control" thing. I have complete control also.

 

If I need to change anything, I call the "middle man" and they deal with RC nonsense and hold times.

 

Than I get all my gratuities paid which adds up since I always have 2 cabins.

 

The extra OBC is nice also...

 

Yup!!!

 

Also wish to point out something that I have not seen mention in pages unless I missed it over the last couple of days... I feel that the very biggest advantage of a TA = group rates.

Many larger TAs have unadvertised group rates that are way less expensive than anything posted on the RCL or the TAs website. You just have to ask what they have if anything. I just booked on Jewel b2b next year with a group rate, got to pick whatever cabin I wanted available within the category they offered.... and one of those cabins at this group discount is an absolute center hump!! :D

(oh, and I still got $100 obc on both sailings... and yes no problem combining with my D+ discount, final price ended up cheaper than advertised interiors)

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Yup!!!

 

Also wish to point out something that I have not seen mention in pages unless I missed it over the last couple of days... I feel that the very biggest advantage of a TA = group rates.

Many larger TAs have unadvertised group rates that are way less expensive than anything posted on the RCL or the TAs website. You just have to ask what they have if anything. I just booked on Jewel b2b next year with a group rate, got to pick whatever cabin I wanted available within the category they offered.... and one of those cabins at this group discount is an absolute center hump!! :D

(oh, and I still got $100 obc on both sailings... and yes no problem combining with my D+ discount, final price ended up cheaper than advertised interiors)

Yep. Maybe we used the same TA! [emoji6]

 

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[peacefulOR]

Yep. Maybe we used the same TA! [emoji6]

 

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I'm still learning how to do this. Failed at getting $149 pp price drop because I didn't understand that you have to re-book before transferring to a very large online seller. I told the RCCI rep what I was trying to do and he said,"No problem". Oops. Five days later, got the new invoice at the old price and my new TA said that it was done wrong and too bad. So, for the sake of other newbies at this, what is the process?

Rainey

[peacefulOR]

Yep. Maybe we used the same TA! [emoji6]

 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

I'm still learning how to do this. Failed at getting $149 pp price drop because I didn't understand that you have to re-book before transferring to a very large online seller. I told the RCCI rep what I was trying to do and he said,"No problem". Oops. Five days later, got the new invoice at the old price and my new TA said that it was done wrong and too bad. So, for the sake of other newbies at this, what is the process?

Rainey

[widallas]

Not all TAs are created equal, so still do a little shopping. My in-laws had offered to take us on a cruise, so we checked the price with the travel department of that large warehouse store that I probably can't name (not Sam...the other one ;)). Their hometown agent quoted them a price that was well over a thousand dollars more than the price we got. We ended up getting three balcony cabins for less than the original quote, plus the extra OBC from RC and the TA. (Apparently they had a block of cabins at a certain rate...great deal.)

 

Their favorite travel agent had retired, and obviously her replacement was looking to make money rather than take care of her clients. Guess who they will book their next cruise with....

[Desert Cruizers]

I informed our TA not long ago, and she knows that I could book on my own through the cruise lines since I have pretty much done all the work before I meet with her, however, I have stayed with she and her company since 2002 because of their honesty and I never worry about our bookings. If a situation comes up which it did once, she was on the phone ASAP and corrected it far faster then I could have. I can work with any of her associates. They are a small local office so having that personal contact makes it enjoyable to stay with them.

Edited May 6, 2016 by Desert Cruizers

[widallas]

I informed our TA not long ago, and she knows that I could book on my own through the cruise lines since I have pretty much done all the work before I meet with her, however, I have stayed with she and her company since 2002 because of their honesty and I never worry about our bookings. If a situation comes up which it did once, she was on the phone ASAP and corrected it far faster then I could have. I can work with any of her associates. They are a small local office so having that personal contact makes it enjoyable to stay with them.

 

I agree...my in-laws had worked with the same woman for over 20 years and were loyal for all the reasons you mentioned -- personal service, they took care of all issues, etc. I think her replacement didn't have the same customer service skills, which is a shame...she lost a lot of money in commissions by not thinking long-term and building her client base. I really hope they can find another more local TA who they like -- they loved that personal touch.

Edited May 6, 2016 by widallas

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I'm still learning how to do this. Failed at getting $149 pp price drop because I didn't understand that you have to re-book before transferring to a very large online seller. I told the RCCI rep what I was trying to do and he said,"No problem". Oops. Five days later, got the new invoice at the old price and my new TA said that it was done wrong and too bad. So, for the sake of other newbies at this, what is the process?

Rainey

 

I'm a bit perplexed by your post.

 

What do you mean you have to rebook before transferring to a TA?

 

I've done that a couple of times but don't remember having to rebook anything?

 

What did the TA mean when they said "too bad"? They weren't going to get you the price drop? Did the price go back up in the interim? Where you past final payment?

 

Bill

[peacefulOR]

I'm a bit perplexed by your post.

 

What do you mean you have to rebook before transferring to a TA?

 

I've done that a couple of times but don't remember having to rebook anything?

 

What did the TA mean when they said "too bad"? They weren't going to get you the price drop? Did the price go back up in the interim? Where you past final payment?

 

Bill

Maybe this will make more sense. About 3 weeks ago, I read on CC about a Saturday only sale from RCCI that dropped our cabin price from $899pp to $649pp. I also saw it advertised on c .com for same price plus I could keep my pre-paid gratuities. They also offered $50 obc, specialty dinner for 2, and a spa treatment. When I called RCCI late Saturday, I was routed to an agent in Guatamala and told him I wanted to get the price drop and transfer to outside TA.

Five days later, I called the new TA to ask where my paperwork was and he sent it within an hour. Now the base price was $699pp but he had increased the port/tax charges from $139+ over $200pp to bring the total back to original cruise price. He blamed it on me and RCCI for transferring the original booking instead of re-booking at lower price. New TA said that the price drop was over when he received it (he didn't know that at the time?) two days later and I should call RCCI because he told me to rebook it first (not true). I feel pretty dumb and that's unusual.....

[peacefulOR]

Maybe this will make more sense. About 3 weeks ago, I read on CC about a Saturday only sale from RCCI that dropped our cabin price from $899pp to $649pp. I also saw it advertised on c .com for same price plus I could keep my pre-paid gratuities. They also offered $50 obc, specialty dinner for 2, and a spa treatment. When I called RCCI late Saturday, I was routed to an agent in Guatamala and told him I wanted to get the price drop and transfer to outside TA.

Five days later, I called the new TA to ask where my paperwork was and he sent it within an hour. Now the base price was $699pp but he had increased the port/tax charges from $139+ over $200pp to bring the total back to original cruise price. He blamed it on me and RCCI for transferring the original booking instead of re-booking at lower price. New TA said that the price drop was over when he received it (he didn't know that at the time?) two days later and I should call RCCI because he told me to rebook it first (not true). I feel pretty dumb and that's unusual.....

Oh, final payment isn't until 6/23/2016. Thanks!

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Maybe this will make more sense. About 3 weeks ago, I read on CC about a Saturday only sale from RCCI that dropped our cabin price from $899pp to $649pp. I also saw it advertised on c .com for same price plus I could keep my pre-paid gratuities. They also offered $50 obc, specialty dinner for 2, and a spa treatment. When I called RCCI late Saturday, I was routed to an agent in Guatamala and told him I wanted to get the price drop and transfer to outside TA.

Five days later, I called the new TA to ask where my paperwork was and he sent it within an hour. Now the base price was $699pp but he had increased the port/tax charges from $139+ over $200pp to bring the total back to original cruise price. He blamed it on me and RCCI for transferring the original booking instead of re-booking at lower price. New TA said that the price drop was over when he received it (he didn't know that at the time?) two days later and I should call RCCI because he told me to rebook it first (not true). I feel pretty dumb and that's unusual.....

 

Lesson learned I guess. Next time get the price drop first, then deal with getting the booking transferred.

 

TA's break down the numbers differently than the cruise line. While the cruise line has gov't taxes/ and fees, the TA breaks it down into non commissioned fares which is a little more than just the gov't taxes and fees.

 

Thanks for the reply.:)

 

Bill

[peacefulOR]

Lesson learned I guess. Next time get the price drop first, then deal with getting the booking transferred.

 

TA's break down the numbers differently than the cruise line. While the cruise line has gov't taxes/ and fees, the TA breaks it down into non commissioned fares which is a little more than just the gov't taxes and fees.

 

Thanks for the reply.:)

 

Bill

Thank you, Bill. It seems that neither I nor the sweet gentleman from Guatemala knew what we were doing. Ah, next time.....

Rainey

[John&LaLa]

Thank you, Bill. It seems that neither I nor the sweet gentleman from Guatemala knew what we were doing. Ah, next time.....

Rainey

 

How did you end up in Guatemala? I always get Oregon. Lovely people. ;)

[peacefulOR]

How did you end up in Guatemala? I always get Oregon. Lovely people. ;)

I know....I live about 75 miles from the RCCI call center here and originally booked through them. Lovely people, true. I guess because it was around 11 p.m. PST and I may have called a different number. Will stick with regular call center in the future!