Book direct through NCL or through TA?

[nhtravels]

We are cruising on the Escape in November and booked that through our corporate credit card TA. This was not a great experience and I won't use them again (no matter how many points I have!).

 

Tomorrow (or Tuesday) I am booking 4 cabins for a January cruise on the NCL Sky for my Mom's 25th wedding anniversary to my step-dad. Will I be better of booking direct or shopping for a TA that might make it a better experience?

 

Are there advantages to using a TA? Advantages to booking direct?

Edited September 25, 2017 by nhtravels

[NMLady]

Booking direct means you can communicate directly with NCL. You do not need to go through TA. Sometimes makes changes easier.

 

Booking with TA can be better if they offer some perks for booking with them. Make sure they don't charge fees for changes or cancellation.

 

Since you are booking four cabins it might be easier through a TA.

[www3traveler]

I never book a cruise or any other travel arrangements without going through my local travel agency. Look in your phone book and find an agency that says they are: Certified Travel Consultant.

[LincolnLog]

I am on a cruise that leaves in two weeks and I booked through NCL. I have regretted for months not using a travel agent. Since I booked, I have read numerous reviews from other people talking about the perks they have received from their travel agent. Everything from 100's of dollars in onboard credit to prepaid tips. Well by booking directly, it's been nice too have control over things like booking dining and excursions without a middle man, but I would still trade it for some onboard credit.

[Carolina Girl 99]

Well by booking directly, it's been nice too have control over things like booking dining and excursions without a middle man, but I would still trade it for some onboard credit.

 

Once you hit the 90 day mark (100 days for Haven & suites), you can book your own dining, entertainment & shore excursions whether you use a TA or not. Just login or create an account on ncl.com ;)

[OrlandoSingleCruiser]

I have the Amex Platinum card so i use Amex or one of their partners to book the cruise since they usually give $100-150 extra OBC plus another $200 OBC if i book a balcony with my Amex card.

 

Unfortunately theres just no benefits to booking directly thru NCL.

[OrlandoSingleCruiser]

You mean booking a balcony cabin on the Spic for a 7-day cruise for less than $150 per person is not a benefit? :D

 

A TA has the same piblished fares as does the cruise line.

 

The only time i've booked directly thru NCL is when igot a CAS offer and the cruise was basically free.

[Lacaena]

I will NEVER use a Travel Agent to book a cruise. There is VERY little they can get you that you cannot get on your own and most times you can do better dealing directly with the cruise line. When you book with a TA, any time you have any question at all (big or tiny) you HAVE TO go through the agent, the cruise line will not deal with you directly at all with e TA booked cruise. TAs talk a great game but there is precious little added value these days. The minimal extra perks via a TX can easily be topped on your own.

 

I have to respectfully disagree, granted there is a broad range of TAs out there. Some are great and some aren't. If you have a good TA you will get extra perks, it may not be as good as it once was but it is still a little something and every little bit is nice. Also, while it is true that you do not contact NCL directly I think that it is better characterized as you GET TO talk to your TA and you don't HAVE TO bother with contacting NCL direclty. It is SO much easier texting, emailing, stopping by, calling etc. and knowing that you won't have to wait on hold or get jerked around by someone who has no idea what they're talking about. Your TA can do that all for you if they don't know the answer already. However, frequently they do. You may vacation once or twice a year, maybe more if you're lucky. But it's their job and they do it day in and day out, if you take the time with them I promise they have a lot of wisdom to impart that will make your cruise more enjoyable.

 

A good TA is also there in a pinch, if you have an emergency while you're traveling and need to change arrangements or get home ASAP they can be a true lifesaver.

 

Lastly, I would just point out that if you use a local TA, you are supporting a local small business and the local economy. I enjoy supporting local businesses and a TA is just one more way to do that.

 

I understand that for some people it makes them uncomfortable, I just wanted to provide a different way of looking at it.

[brandid82]

We received $250 OBC by going through a TA. We had to make a change and it was no big deal at all. You literally hold while they call and make the changes and they email you a record of it. Sometimes NCL's prices are slightly higher than the prices of the big TA websites for the same exact cabins as well. Do a few searches and see what you find.

 

 

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[newmexicoNita]

I have to respectfully disagree, granted there is a broad range of TAs out there. Some are great and some aren't. If you have a good TA you will get extra perks, it may not be as good as it once was but it is still a little something and every little bit is nice. Also, while it is true that you do not contact NCL directly I think that it is better characterized as you GET TO talk to your TA and you don't HAVE TO bother with contacting NCL direclty. It is SO much easier texting, emailing, stopping by, calling etc. and knowing that you won't have to wait on hold or get jerked around by someone who has no idea what they're talking about. Your TA can do that all for you if they don't know the answer already. However, frequently they do. You may vacation once or twice a year, maybe more if you're lucky. But it's their job and they do it day in and day out, if you take the time with them I promise they have a lot of wisdom to impart that will make your cruise more enjoyable.

 

A good TA is also there in a pinch, if you have an emergency while you're traveling and need to change arrangements or get home ASAP they can be a true lifesaver.

 

Lastly, I would just point out that if you use a local TA, you are supporting a local small business and the local economy. I enjoy supporting local businesses and a TA is just one more way to do that.

 

I understand that for some people it makes them uncomfortable, I just wanted to provide a different way of looking at it.

You are 100% correct. I would never book a cruise or anything else without the help of a travel agent. The secret is finding a good one, not necessarily one that is an order taker which happens too often with some of the on line agentcies. The one we use, goes so far above and beyond it isn't funny. she does her best to get us the exact type cabin we want, works with us when there are more than one or two cabins involved and even takes care of arranging for assistance for my husband when we are getting on the ship as he has a slight physical disability. She will even look into getting us transportation from the hotel to the ship if we need it.

[nhtravels]

Thank you all for the great info! We do have a good size cruise only TA that's in my area. I've actually seen them advertise on CC. I might reach out to them this morning and see what they can do for me.

 

In the meantime I'm not sure if the NCL Sky is the right choice to take my 69 year old mom on. In reading it sounds like a big party cruise. I might look at Empress of the Seas, but don't have any experience there either. I was hoping to really just stay with NCL for all future, but my sisters can only do a 3 or 4 day cruise.

[beerman2]

Thank you all for the great info! We do have a good size cruise only TA that's in my area. I've actually seen them advertise on CC. I might reach out to them this morning and see what they can do for me.

 

In the meantime I'm not sure if the NCL Sky is the right choice to take my 69 year old mom on. In reading it sounds like a big party cruise. I might look at Empress of the Seas, but don't have any experience there either. I was hoping to really just stay with NCL for all future, but my sisters can only do a 3 or 4 day cruise.

I believe the Sky is where everyone (21) get the drinks included, so yes more of a party cruise. Most 3-4 day cruises are more inclined to be very festive due to the short length.

[Shawnino]

I will NEVER use a Travel Agent to book a cruise. There is VERY little they can get you that you cannot get on your own and most times you can do better dealing directly with the cruise line. When you book with a TA, any time you have any question at all (big or tiny) you HAVE TO go through the agent, the cruise line will not deal with you directly at all with e TA booked cruise. TAs talk a great game but there is precious little added value these days. The minimal extra perks via a TX can easily be topped on your own.

 

Ridiculous, at least for NCL.

I always go through a TA and the 10%-ish TA commission gets split roughly equally between me and the TA.

That's on top of NCL's never-ending pick-your-perk promotion.

Try caling NCL directly and telling them you want an extra 5% off, just because. Won't happen.

[BostonGal35]

we always book direct with NCL, using a Personal Cruise Consultant. Ours has booked 15+ cruises for us and we love her. id love to give you her name but apparent that isnt allowed on here (which ive never understood, its NCL, but whatevs).

[funpig]

I compare prices from all sources befor booking anything whether it is for flights, hotels, car rentals, etc.

 

For our NCL Western Med cruise, I checked out NCL website, phoning NCL direct, and various cruise websites like cheapcruises.com. In each case, we obtained price quote for the exact same suites. In the end, we got the best deal using a local travel agent with a website called ucruising.com that specialized in cruises. The agent was able to combine our booking with other people and obtain a significant group discount. After our booking, the travel agent was able to ontain the same additional last minute promotions or OBC. My friends who have much more cruising experience than me recommended them. Their strategy is to book the cheapest room with the TA and then get free last minute upgrades to better rooms. We had 3 couples and wanted our 3 suites on same floor so we wanted specific rooms. After booking, I followed the various website prices up to departure and found that we got the best prices and freebies using the TA. It does not hurt to check out a travel agent. YMMV.

Edited September 25, 2017 by funpig

[Linda the Book Lover]

Thank you all for the great info! We do have a good size cruise only TA that's in my area. I've actually seen them advertise on CC. I might reach out to them this morning and see what they can do for me.

 

In the meantime I'm not sure if the NCL Sky is the right choice to take my 69 year old mom on. In reading it sounds like a big party cruise. I might look at Empress of the Seas, but don't have any experience there either. I was hoping to really just stay with NCL for all future, but my sisters can only do a 3 or 4 day cruise.

 

Since your mom and I are both of a certain age I would suggest the 4-day. My DD and I tried a 3-day on a different cruise line and because it took place during the weekend it was more of a party atmosphere. We have since switched to 4-days and really enjoyed ourselves. Have a great time!

[ellell]

I book directly with NCL/CAS and could not be more pleased with their services, promos and comps given for our biyearly cruise. If I was not using CAS, I would research a few local and online travel agent's pricing with personal references. Being imfomed and knowing your options is critical in getting the best deal. After, doing my own research, I would call to get quote and compare. Keeps updated in what you do.

[Chicago Girl]

Okay, my 2 cents. We are on escape in Nov. I always book my cruises through Costco. They have the most perks of all! We received the drink package, speciality dining, 100 internet min., 10 photo pack, unlimited ship to shore calls from room, $50 casino credit, $140 onboard spending and this was just for a mini suite room.

[nhtravels]

I ended up with a local (NH based) cruise TA, who was able to book our 4 cabins and gave us $50 OBC each. Then I added another cabin to our 11/4 Escape trip and for that cabin there was $100 OBC. The TA I worked with was very pleasant and full of great info, so I'm happy with what I got. $50 OBC for a 3 day weekend is plenty.

 

We ended up on the NCL Sky (3 Aft balcony cabins and 1 Aft Suite all side by side!). It may be a party cruise, but we are celebrating after all!

[fridaythe13th]

I would book with NCL to lock in the price, then within 30 days after I have had time to get other quotes, transfer my booking to my new TA. The TA I use puts us in a "group" booking in order to get a better price. Unfortunately, that usually means no price drops. The OBC isn't usually that great unless the specific cruiseline is offering it also. When you are offered perks such as the free drink package, dining package, OBC, it usually comes with a "fee", so don't think it's included as it does cost you something, although it's still a good deal.

[funpig]

So my 7-day cruise for four in two balcony cabins with free wifi and $300 OBC was a bad deal?

 

It depends upon price you paid for the room compared to price you could have gotten from some other source whether it be a TA, Costco or some discount cruise website. The freebies are usually well advertised and usually available from all sources especially before the cancellation date.

[SeaShark]

So my 7-day cruise for four in two balcony cabins with free wifi and $300 OBC was a bad deal?

 

Yes...simply because OBC is always a bad deal.

 

OBC benefits the cruise line, not the guest. It is designed to make you THINK you got a deal when you, in fact, did not.

 

Let's say you have a cruise for two in a balcony stateroom that costs $2000 and comes with $300 in OBC.

 

Now look at the same cruise for $1700 with no OBC.

 

 

Which one is really the better deal?

[SeaShark]

So since I paid $900 for all four of us combined in two balcony cabins with $300 in OBC I really only paid $600, cool! Wish I had used a TA. Oh did I mention we got 250 minutes of WiFi per cabin and 3 meals specialty dining per person. Now I REALLY wish I had used a TA.

Read first, THEN reply. Less foot in your diet that way.

[SeaShark]

pot -> kettle -> black

Except I didn't talk about a booking for 4, two cabins, wifi, or dining plans...try to stay on topic or go back to Facebook Dave.