Does a travel agent help with Silversea or better to book direct?

[dawntrdr]

1 hour ago, BWBkt said:

Have had nothing but trouble booking directly with Silversea. Horrible.  Literally badger you until you book.  Promise you one cabin and switch it on you.  Then stops responding to you. Don't do it.  Take another cruise line.

This is a new type of complaint . . . usually the only complaint about booking direct is lack of responsiveness - not the opposite.  I have used direct booking for most of my cruises and have been pleased with the experience. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

4 hours ago, pavementends said:

So far I have booked direct- without any issues, I might add.

 

Now we can't mention names of travel agents. So I went to this website that would get you competing bids from travel agents (won't put THAT name in here, either). Got some bids, some identical to what I was seeing from Silversea direct, one actually higher. And then I started thinking- I don't know these guys, and I'm supposed to give them a credit card for thousands of dollars? It's not like the old days when we had a travel agent on the shopping street where we could walk in and see a real person.

 

So I went direct, again. And I guess I'm wondering if there would be much of a rebate or perk for me, anyway. I book almost the cheapest cabin in port to port. Always book my own flights (day or so in advance) and my own hotels. Maybe it wouldn't make much difference.

I agree with your concern about booking with an unknown agent based solely on low price.  The best way to find a good high-rebate travel agent is to ask onboard your next cruise – it can be a good conversation starter.  So much safer-feeling to book based on a personal recommendation.  It's a shame we can't give such here in Cruise Critic, but here it is...

[LAexNY]

5 hours ago, BWBkt said:

Have had nothing but trouble booking directly with Silversea. Horrible.  Literally badger you until you book.  Promise you one cabin and switch it on you.  Then stops responding to you. Don't do it.  Take another cruise line.

Wow, sounds like you have a grudge.  The OP is asking whether to use a TA or book direct and you are saying that because you had a bad experience booking direct, one should take another cruise line?

[Observer]

I have booked direct for years and have had several different consultants following retirements, etc. I appreciate working with knowledgeable consultants without going through an intermediary like a travel agent. My consultant has immediate access to inventory, rates, and the contract air availability.  When my consultant is on vacation, I am referred to another consultant who seems very pleased to assist even though I am not his/her client.  I know that I could get some perks by working through a TA.  However, my experience with two (highly recommended) TAs was unsatisfactory.

[Pies4u]

I suspect it might be different here in the UK. I used a TA that was quite useful - but they went bust & ceased trading.

 

Subsequently, I’ve booked 2 directly with SS (UK) - (also booked 2 Regent cruises directly too) - and found that there was absolutely no benefit to using a TA. I find it easier to desk directly with the UK consultants tbh. In the case of SS they have proved to be excellent, very courteous, helpful and efficient.

 

I’ve negotiated as good or better deals than the TA ever managed & I’m in control of the booking. I don’t waste time waiting for a 3rd party to sort out any issues. I find I can put my case more strongly and effectively than somebody else whenever it’s proved necessary.

 

Thus, it’s “horses for courses” in my view - if you have the time & you are happy/able to put your own case forward, I’d do it yourself - certainly in the UK.

[Texas Tillie]

When push comes to shove, and you may be lucky and never have any difficulty, but if the worst happens, do you want to be dealing with someone whose loyalty is to you or someone whose loyalty is to their employer?

[drron29]

We have always used a travel agent for our SS bookings. It helps that they are Virtuoso agents so you do get a little OBC.

But the best thing is when things go wrong such as not getting the Fare Quarantee program to decrease your cost. As soon as the TA asked it was done.

It is even better now since SS set up their  global Travel Advisory Board. The owner of our Agency is a member and things are now fixed even quicker.

So ask your TA if they are a member of Virtuoso and the SS Travel Advisory Board.

[TechSurfer]

Wow, I'm going to go against the grain here.

We got a travel agent, a well regarded one. It's been terrible, largely because...

• She doesn't know as much as we can quickly research.
• She didn't know anything about the transfers the line provides. If I hadn't accidently found out about them, we'd be out a lot of extra time and money.
• Because she did the booking, SilverSea won't speak to us directly; we have to go through her for even the simplest of stuff.
• And her being a Virtuoso agent is not resulting in an automatic OBC; it seems dependent on how many Virtuoso customers are on-board.

 

If you don't need the help with other arrangements, my experience here and elsewhere is that a TA often results in more pain than gain.

[highplanesdrifters]

10 hours ago, TechSurfer said:

We got a travel agent, a well regarded one.

 

I would question the judgement of those that are doing the regarding. 😃

[Pies4u]

On 5/13/2024 at 11:17 PM, Texas Tillie said:

When push comes to shove, and you may be lucky and never have any difficulty, but if the worst happens, do you want to be dealing with someone whose loyalty is to you or someone whose loyalty is to their employer?

It makes no difference - a TA still has to deal with SS! I trust myself to resolve an issue more favourably than a 3rd party, any day of the week tbh.

[drron29]

Well I know I would never have been able to get the results we have had from our TA when things go wrong.

Belmond River cruise in Burma, spent a day stuck on a sand bank. When we asked on board and again later we were offered $A400. Got our TA to try. got $A4000.

When Qantas shut down the airline in 2011 on a Saturday night we were out to dinner. Came back to our hotel and heard the news. We were to fly out on the Tuesday on Qantas. Went to email our TA but there was already an email from her as she had rebooked us on the BA flight.

Can't beat those results by myself.

[chrism23]

I don't use a travel agent (10) cruises.  I use the SS cruise consultant. To me, the absolute key to sailing SS is to get one of their top notch CC's.  I have had 2 and they have been absolutely incredible. He handles all the problems created by SS air which is a given.  There are always problems with the initial flights their air department gives you e.g. Dublin to Boston via Frankfurt.a couple off trips ago.  My CC knows I only fly business class direct if possible, and he saw this and had it fixed before I called to throw a fit.  He also throws in a free night in a hotel, transfers, everything. He takes really good care of us.  He makes traveling SS seamless.  He is so good he will probably get promoted soon, and I will have to break in his replacement.   

 

Now for the tricky part.  SS is now using RCL's air department  The first time this happened I caught a trainee and her manager was standing right over her shoulder.  I caught some of the dialogue.  When I am booking air I always have the flight schedule from Expedia or the like in front of me.  You will notice that the same flights are scheduled under different airlines,  So I go down the list, this was Virgin first (no) Air France (no) then Delta (bingo yes). This depends entirely on whether SS has a relationship with the carrier. My CC would have done this for me but I wanted to see how the new system worked out.  The short answer is you have to know how to play them.  

 

My CC will also offer sage advice on pre and post cruise options.  Makes sure the timing works on any transfer. He solves problems,  I can't image an independent travel agent having the intimate knowledge of how SS does things.  Now  here is the real problem.  SS is experiencing some turnover because RCL is unfortunately RCL.  There is no way, if you haven't sailed with them before, to know who you get as your CC. . For me this level of service is why I stay with SS.  I tried booking a Seabourn cruise, and got an idiot who only quoted the retail price. Nothing about room selection, shipboard credits (always ask for more).  I hung up the phone.  Then I tried the travel agency they use Avoya, which is based in Houston I think,  More of the same, a rote recitation of list costs.  I hung up on them too.  I'm sorry I won't name the CC I use, he's already to busy,  Yes I am selfish and I dearly hope he doesn't get caught up with all the stupid stuff RCL seems intent on doing.  RCL may handle the rack rate on a 7 day Caribbean cruise Miami to Miami.  But I don't see them capable of handling a 90 day Grand voyage.  

  .   

 

[sea bright]

A TA who focuses on the luxury cruise market is, in our experience, much better than an in house cruise consultant, whether on Silversea or Seabourn. The TA has contacts at both lines far above a CC, who can sort out issues more quickly than dealing with either line directly (especially for air bookings and problems like canceled cruises, muffed transfers,etc). Also, they provide OBC (in addition to that provided by the line) and/or a rebate. I would never go back to dealing with either cruise line directly!

[Pies4u]

TA’s must be very different in the USA then! I’m struggling with the conceit that some random TA can have greater influence, awareness or access to higher levels of management than someone employed by the cruise line. There are a couple of well known ones who tout themselves all over the internet & social media, but are they actually as great as they tell us? A local TA, who books about 30 or 40 folks a year, at most, on a particular line can’t have as much impact as a C C who is dealing with hundreds, even thousands, per week, surely?

 

My consultant has just implemented a helpful amendment to a future booking which was directed through 2 senior execs in overseas offices. I was copied in on the exchanges. I’m more than happy with that level of assistance and attention tbh.

[Pies4u]

The “….concept of…”,rather. Tried to edit, but too late!

[drron29]

Obviously Silversea is not doing so well in the UK because there apparently no UK TAs on their global advisory board.

 

"Other advisory board members are from regions such as the USA, Singapore, Hong Kong, Brazil and Mexico."

 

"While the US remains Silversea’s top source, Muckermann forecast the Australian market will be close to overtaking the United Kingdom for the second spot by 2024.

“The UK is an amazing market but it has not been growing for over 10 years,” she said."

https://latteluxurynews.com/2023/04/06/silversea-travel-advisory-board-2/

 

There are 2 Australian TAs and a New Zealander on the board.

[dawntrdr]

4 hours ago, Pies4u said:

The “….concept of…”,rather. Tried to edit, but too late!

Actually, the word "conceit" was entirely appropriate in your sentence, since it can also mean a fanciful notion or fable/myth.  Pretty classy wordsmithing, I thought!

[Pies4u]

Well spotted! Thought about ignoring it but, as you say, either word would be pertinent.

[les37b]

I had been relatively happy with our SS consultant who I have to say looked out for us and managed to get us sorted with some good options when we had cancellations, I probably foolishly opted to use a large TA whom I managed to get a 10% discount from (on top of the VS and on board booking discount.) However, my experience with that agent was frankly shocking and made me realise SS direct was the better option, which I did on our last booking.

 

Unfortunately our trusted consultant's worth was noted within and he was promoted and the new green replacement consultant has left me unable to contemplate SS or a TA right now, which is just as well as I've no intention right now of another SS booking unless a cant refuse offer came up.

Edited May 17 by les37b