Stateroom availability using TA

[luvSClake]

Are TAs limited with which staterooms they can book?  I noticed that online through a Princess there were several availability, but through the TA only a couple to choose from. I’m looking at the Sky for next Oct New England/Canada. 

[JF - retired RRT]

I don't specifically know the answer to that one (there are a couple of TAs who post on CC and will likely be able to answer).

The reason I'm posting is to say, if the TA doesn't have the cabin you want...book directly through Princess and then transfer to a TA. Also, check other TA websites and see if it's available through them.

[Steelers36]

Or ask your TA if they cannot select cabin such-and-such.  And did you ask them why their selection is very limited?  Some cabin availability displays with certain booking engines might only show the first 20 or 25 in a particular category due to system design, but seems odd to only see two or three.

[MCC retired]

There are no cabins that are available for you to book that aren't available to TA's also.

TA's don't hold actual cabin #'s without names followed by deposits , they hold category allotments (which could be helpful if a category shows sold out if you try to book direct).

[Tak8]

I had the opposite happen.  I wanted to book a S4 Penthouse suite.  Princess showed none on their web site.  I talked to a Princess Vacation Planner and she told me they had none available.  Two travel agency sites had the category I wanted available.  

[voljeep]

15 minutes ago, Tak8 said:

I had the opposite happen.  I wanted to book a S4 Penthouse suite.  Princess showed none on their web site.  I talked to a Princess Vacation Planner and she told me they had none available.  Two travel agency sites had the category I wanted available.  

so , TA's can 'hoard' cabins that are "only available" if you book thru them ???

[Italy52]

In my case, I found a cabin I liked on the Princess website.  I went to my TA's website and it was not available.  I called my TA and told them I found a particular cabin I liked on the Princess website and noticed that it was not available on theirs.  I asked my TA to call Princess to see if it was available and she did so --- I got the cabin I wanted.

[Tak8]

voljeep:  I found it really strange, but it seems that certain TAs grab cabins and Princess doesn't sell those cabins anymore.  I intended to book this particular cruise through Princess, but I couldn't get the category I wanted and the next up category was more expensive.  

[neverbeenhere]

Business.

 

If I booked 10,000 staterooms a year as a agency, I would suspect that the cruiselines might give me a few perks. 

[CineGraphic]

1 hour ago, voljeep said:

so , TA's can 'hoard' cabins that are "only available" if you book thru them

Yes, many travel agencies belong to groups, who buy blocks of cabins at a reduced rate, and sell them at full price. They'll eventually turn over any unsold cabins back to the cruise line.

[Coral]

Travel Agents have access to the same open cabins that Princess direct has. What happens is when people search for cabins, Princess's most desirable cabins (defined by them) come up. If someone wants something else, the agent needs to put that cabin into their system and if it is available through Princess agents, it should be available through travel agents. Some agents may not know this.

Edited September 23, 2019 by Coral

[Coral]

2 hours ago, Tak8 said:

voljeep:  I found it really strange, but it seems that certain TAs grab cabins and Princess doesn't sell those cabins anymore.  I intended to book this particular cruise through Princess, but I couldn't get the category I wanted and the next up category was more expensive.  

Travel agents grab a number of cabins in certain categories as group space (not individual cabin numbers). Yes, it is possible to get a certain category through agents with group space than direct with Princess. Eventually agents have to release their space.

Edited September 23, 2019 by Coral