Appreciate opinions on switching from TA to direct booking with cruise line.

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, Secretlyfi said:

Is it possible to book direct with the cruise line at a non-refundable rate and then transfer to a TA and get a group rate?  I realize it would still be non-refundable, but I was not sure if there were non-refundable group rates or if all group rates are only refundable.   Thanks

I booked a refundable rate and then transferred to my ta so he could give me the group rate and it be refundable.  Booked with next cruise, and it went directly to his email to fix. Solo. 

[pcur]

I tend to be loyal to my TA's until they give me reason to not be loyal.  I abandoned the Big Box agency when my hold times got to be 4 hours long.

 

In 50 years of cruising with RCCL, I am now with my 4th.  I am delighted with my new TA (who happens to be posting on this thread!!).

 

I will sometimes grab an amazing price on RCCL's web site, and then transfer to my TA, because I want someone more familiar with the cogs and wheels of RCCL's labyrinth of rules and policies to handle my booking.  Plus, if there is anyway I can benefit another person's livelihood, I'll do it.  I am a firm believer in what goes around / comes around.

 

TA's do the heavy lifting with reservations, and (current company included) provide perks and benefits I will not have otherwise.

 

 

[Morecruisesplz]

53 minutes ago, pcur said:

I tend to be loyal to my TA's until they give me reason to not be loyal.  I abandoned the Big Box agency when my hold times got to be 4 hours long.

 

In 50 years of cruising with RCCL, I am now with my 4th.  I am delighted with my new TA (who happens to be posting on this thread!!).

 

I will sometimes grab an amazing price on RCCL's web site, and then transfer to my TA, because I want someone more familiar with the cogs and wheels of RCCL's labyrinth of rules and policies to handle my booking.  Plus, if there is anyway I can benefit another person's livelihood, I'll do it.  I am a firm believer in what goes around / comes around.

 

TA's do the heavy lifting with reservations, and (current company included) provide perks and benefits I will not have otherwise.

 

 

Well said.

[pcur]

26 minutes ago, fredmdcruisers said:

Yes, having your TA handle problems for you would be terrible! A TA whose company books $100 of thousands in business w/ a cruise line and who has working relationships with those in a supervisory capacity at the cruise line. Instead you will start by calling an 800 # and talk to a person who has no authority to resolve your problem.

Well said.  😉

[SPacificbound]

47 minutes ago, fredmdcruisers said:

Yes, having your TA handle problems for you would be terrible! A TA whose company books $100 of thousands in business w/ a cruise line and who has working relationships with those in a supervisory capacity at the cruise line. Instead you will start by calling an 800 # and talk to a person who has no authority to resolve your problem.

 

I have never had a problem dealing with my cruise bookings. We have traveled the world, cruises are just a small part of it. 

 

I responded to a question by yancy cruiser, it is not up to you to belittle opinions that are different than yours. You do you and I'll do me.

 

 

Edited June 22, 2023 by SPacificbound
added to content

[Morecruisesplz]

36 minutes ago, SPacificbound said:

 

I have never had a problem dealing with my cruise bookings. We have traveled the world, cruises are just a small part of it. 

 

I responded to a question by yancy cruiser, it is not up to you to belittle opinions that are different than yours. You do you and I'll do me.

 

 

No belittling intended. Just offering information for the common good. (Cruise Critic is as named.) If you prefer others besides the OP not reply, you might want to mention that in your post, although on CC any post is open to comment until the mods lock the thread. 

[marci22]

3 hours ago, SPacificbound said:

I have never had a problem dealing with my cruise bookings.

I have never had a problem either. The nice thing is, with the right TA, you can get refundable prices (not always, ymmv) that are cheaper than RC's refundable prices. And you usually get at least a small obc. And a 'good' TA will get back to you in a timely manner. Lots of good hints on this thread. Doesn't hurt to reach out and see what you can find. If you still don't feel comfortable, you don't have to book with them.

[marci22]

On 6/21/2023 at 12:21 PM, molly361 said:

Sometimes it's hard to keep quiet😇

It would be so much easier, wouldn't it.

[kirtihk]

On 6/20/2023 at 2:39 PM, klfrodo said:

I have a TA in name only because she's a family friend and we want her to receive the commission. Once the booking is complete, that's the end of our business transaction. I do everything else on line re drinks package purchasing, insurance separately from a 3rd party company, excursions on my own, air travel on my own, hotels on my own, etc. I even book land AI holidays/vacations on my own.

 

If your TA isn't meeting your expectations, and you would be comfortable doing this on your own, thn go for it. I'm not sure if this is still a valid practice today as it was a couple of years ago, but, I remember someone had an issue where they wanted to bypass their TA when making a new booking on line, but the cruise lines computer had their "TA" on file, so after they made their on line booking, the computer automatically assigned the booking to their old TA. Just something to think about

I’m with the same agent for 24 years, and it never even crossed my mind to ask him to do for me any of those items you wrote about.

[KroozNut]

1 hour ago, kirtihk said:

I’m with the same agent for 24 years, and it never even crossed my mind to ask him to do for me any of those items you wrote about.

Maybe it's time then to switch agents, or become your own agent as we have.

[Morecruisesplz]

13 minutes ago, KroozNut said:

Maybe it's time then to switch agents, or become your own agent as we have.

You can not be your own TA. You are not certified by the cruise lines and are not affiliated with an agency. No good reason to confuse the issue except stubbornness. 

[thepla]

My opinion is only use an agent you can trust from a recommendation. I had a horrible experience from Ryan , I'm not giving last name, from avoya. I must not be only person that gets quotes and than some random call. Not all agents get trained properly or are just salespeople and full of beans when they make a sale.  I have one I've used for years, and great.  Never again think it's better to "try" someone from random call.

 

I do think if you have one you can trust and good experience don't think of seeing if better somewhere else.

 

If you have a good ta I think you can save time and maybe get a group rate, etc 

[rtdiva]

With twenty years of cruising in my suitcase I’ve found “ good TAs, not so good and the best”. “Good” just do their job, not so good don’t promptly answer their phone, and bug you every time they see you to sell something, the best got a business class flight from Europe for thousands less, know our preference, our lifestyle and do it all with a smile in their voice. That said - traveling still takes your own personal touch, it helps to have someone like a TA on your side. 
 

I no longer use friends or acquaintances to do business with. Cause you know why.

[toxicfairy]

I've used a TA 3 times in 10 cruises. First was great. 2nd was HORRIBLE.  Cruise next August I only used one because it's my nephew's wife and I wanted to help them out. No extra perks for me. The rest of the cruises and all of our vacations we've done ourselves.  First  time we used a TA was our wedding cruise which is why we used one. She got everything lines up for the wedding.  2nd time I used a different TA big name in a local mall ...could not have gone worse!  This time my nephew just got married not even a year ago so I figured I'd let her do this one and she'll make a few bucks. But I actually prefer  doing it all on my own.

[kirtihk]

11 hours ago, KroozNut said:

Maybe it's time then to switch agents, or become your own agent as we have.

Why?  Our agent is very good, he always “fights” for us real hard to the core of the problem to resolve critical issues, us and he gives us a generous RAC fir each booking.  The most of items from your post (like shore excursions or individual beverage packages that are not a part of a cruise fare) are not an agent to book.

Edited June 24, 2023 by kirtihk

[OCSC Mike]

My switch from booking myself to a TA has only gone from good to better. Group rates, OBC, very timely e-mail responses... now he just improved the price/location of a cruise I had on hold that I was already likely going to book with a slightly higher price and less desirable location.... completely on his own knowing my preferences after not a great deal of time working with him (although we've e-mailed what feels like 1000 times).

[molly361]

27 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 (although we've e-mailed what feels like 1000 times).

That makes me feel better.  I'm not the only one.  😇 And that's 1000 times A DAY, right?😱

Edited June 24, 2023 by molly361

[OCSC Mike]

Just now, molly361 said:

That makes me feel better.  I'm not the only one.  😇

 

You know why I felt bad about it. At least now that I'll be booking stuff and sent other family business his way I feel better about it too.

[not-enough-cruising]

I could not imagine any reason to move a booking from my TA to the cruise line. 

I am as big a control freak as can be, and I don’t feel I lose any of that control with my travel agent, and I have come out tens of thousands of dollars ahead.  

[ink76]

Who are these TA that give that kind of saving - most that I see maybe 200 dollar a state room?

 

37 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

I could not imagine any reason to move a booking from my TA to the cruise line. 

I am as big a control freak as can be, and I don’t feel I lose any of that control with my travel agent, and I have come out tens of thousands of dollars ahead.  

 

[OCSC Mike]

14 minutes ago, ink76 said:

Who are these TA that give that kind of saving - most that I see maybe 200 dollar a state room?

 

$200/stateroom turns into thousands if you cruise a lot.

 

That said, as an example, I have a Wonder cruise on hold for July 2024. My TA's price is over $1000 less (plus some OBC) than if I were to book it right now through the RC website.

 

And it's only a 4V interior, the cheapest category on the ship.

Edited June 24, 2023 by OCSC Mike

[not-enough-cruising]

30 minutes ago, ink76 said:

Who are these TA that give that kind of saving - most that I see maybe 200 dollar a state room?

 

 

Find a TA you can work with that does a lot of group bookings. 
 

My cabins are normally $500-$800 cheaper than published rates. They are ALWAYS refundable deposits. add to that fare savings the different perks we get (sometime OBC, sometime specialty dinners or wine, sometimes prepaid gratuity) and I have saved tens of thousands over the last decade. 
 

The intangibles of having someone else wait on hold with the cruise line to resolve issues (time is money) just adds more value than I care to calculate. 
 

Just to reiterate, I have received all of this, and have relinquished zero tangible control of any of my bookings. 

[ink76]

1 hour ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Find a TA you can work with that does a lot of group bookings. 
 

My cabins are normally $500-$800 cheaper than published rates. They are ALWAYS refundable deposits. add to that fare savings the different perks we get (sometime OBC, sometime specialty dinners or wine, sometimes prepaid gratuity) and I have saved tens of thousands over the last decade. 
 

The intangibles of having someone else wait on hold with the cruise line to resolve issues (time is money) just adds more value than I care to calculate. 
 

Just to reiterate, I have received all of this, and have relinquished zero tangible control of any of my bookings. 

That great I have no problem using a TA if there competent and save me $$$, just finding that TA is the next task? 

[not-enough-cruising]

6 minutes ago, ink76 said:

That great I have no problem using a TA if there competent and save me $$$, just finding that TA is the next task? 

Finding the right person who has the personality to match your own is certainly the “secret sauce” 

[KroozNut]

19 hours ago, fredmdcruisers said:

You can not be your own TA. You are not certified by the cruise lines and are not affiliated with an agency. No good reason to confuse the issue except stubbornness. 

 

Oh but I am my own TA, as nobody but me manages any of my bookings.