Why not use an agent instead of doing it yourself?

rcuised · May 26, 2012

Ok. So the big question is if you can get the same great price for your travel through an agent as you can doing itself yourself online, and you get great service and a lot of experience, why would you not use an agent? What have been your experiences using agents vs. doing it yourself and what do you see as the value in using an agent???

jobowl · May 26, 2012

I like having control of my reservation. When I book with the cruise-line i can make changes in prices or upgrades,refunds much easier than an agent. Plus I had a bad experiences with one Lost some money cruse-line told me nothing they could do even if they were a prefer agent. That was enough for me. I do my own booking and control my account. Of course some people been using the same agent with great results. It is a matter of how comfortable you feel doing your own or not. Just my opinion.

jacketwatch · May 27, 2012

Interesting. We used to use a TA all,the time but he went out of business somI began to become adept at doing it myself. Now I have begun to use a TA again. DonI spend more? Well yes but it's the level of service I get in return that does it for me.mits nice to have a person you know that you can rely on and a good TA does add a lot. Mine sure knows quite a bit which has helped me.

Jan115 · May 27, 2012

I booked our first cruise with a large cruise-only agency with a local brick and mortar because I needed some guidance. The agent was not all that helpful, but the price was reasonable and everything turned out fine. Prior to our second cruise I absorbed every piece of cruise info I could, utilizing travel forums to answer all my questions, reading reviews and cruise boks. For my next four cruises, I knew exactly what I wanted and just went and booked on line with the web agency who gave me the best deal and would be readily available if I wanted to make a change or had a question. I have never found the need or desire to book directly with the cruise line, as the cruise lines now make it super easy to control your own booking through their websites, whether or not you booked directly, and I have always found a better deal with an agency which offers gifts, on board credit and other added amenities. As a few cruise lines still allow agents to discount, a better price can often be found with an agent as well. Agents will also block off group space early when the itinerary is announced, offering those cabins at a reduced rate with added amenities.

rcuised · May 27, 2012

JoBowl, let me give you two examples of why you would be better off using a travel agent (TA) who is really your advocate and ombudsman, not just a seller of a product.

I recently booked a nice older couple on Oceania’s Rivieria for 10 glorious nights in the Mediterranean. They booked a concierge-class (C4) cabin and roundtrip air through Oceania. They got a fabulous deal. However, due to my relationship with Oceania (and our volume of bookings with them), Oceania contact me and asked, if the couple were a bit flexible and would move their booking to the same-itinerary cruise 3 weeks earlier, Oceania would upgrade them to a penthouse (PH1) cabin at no extra charge. Needless to say, my clients were ecstatic and jumped at the offer. (This type upgrade is usually not offered to people who book single cabins direct.)

Second example where a TA is extremely valuable: Early this past January I booked a client on the February 12th sailing of Celebrity’s Eclipse out of Miami. After much discussion with my client, he declined travel insurance. He paid for the cruise in full. Six days later, he called to tell me his brother (and business partner) had died in his sleep and he needed to cancel his cruise. He was in the 50% penalty window and was going to lose a lot of money. I recommended to him that he could still purchase a “cancel for any reason” policy and, if he did within 7 days of his original payment, he could cancel and not lose as much money. I bought the policy for my client and he ended up losing only $500 (after cost of policy premium) instead of the $1000 he would have lost without the insurance. A cancellation like this, in a case where the cruise was booked direct or online, would have resulted in him losing a lot more money than he did.

TA’s have access to information the average consumer doesn’t and their knowledge and expertise doesn’t come at a premium cost. Yes, for the average, simple black and white booking you can do it online or direct with the cruiseline. But how do you know this “average booking” won’t encounter unexpected problems which require some expertise to correct?

jobowl · May 29, 2012

JoBowl, let me give you two examples of why you would be better off using a travel agent (TA) who is really your advocate and ombudsman, not just a seller of a product.

I recently booked a nice older couple on Oceania’s Rivieria for 10 glorious nights in the Mediterranean. They booked a concierge-class (C4) cabin and roundtrip air through Oceania. They got a fabulous deal. However, due to my relationship with Oceania (and our volume of bookings with them), Oceania contact me and asked, if the couple were a bit flexible and would move their booking to the same-itinerary cruise 3 weeks earlier, Oceania would upgrade them to a penthouse (PH1) cabin at no extra charge. Needless to say, my clients were ecstatic and jumped at the offer. (This type upgrade is usually not offered to people who book single cabins direct.)

Second example where a TA is extremely valuable: Early this past January I booked a client on the February 12th sailing of Celebrity’s Eclipse out of Miami. After much discussion with my client, he declined travel insurance. He paid for the cruise in full. Six days later, he called to tell me his brother (and business partner) had died in his sleep and he needed to cancel his cruise. He was in the 50% penalty window and was going to lose a lot of money. I recommended to him that he could still purchase a “cancel for any reason” policy and, if he did within 7 days of his original payment, he could cancel and not lose as much money. I bought the policy for my client and he ended up losing only $500 (after cost of policy premium) instead of the $1000 he would have lost without the insurance. A cancellation like this, in a case where the cruise was booked direct or online, would have resulted in him losing a lot more money than he did.

TA’s have access to information the average consumer doesn’t and their knowledge and expertise doesn’t come at a premium cost. Yes, for the average, simple black and white booking you can do it online or direct with the cruiseline. But how do you know this “average booking” won’t encounter unexpected problems which require some expertise to correct?

Your points are well taken. I think for some people quite helpful. What happen when an agency goes out of business like CVC did a few years back and the cruise line will not help at all. Yes I was suppose to have insurance that was not purchased. I feel so much better booking with the lines my self. I sure there are good agents out there I am just not going to gamble.

rcuised · May 30, 2012

And then you hear the sad story of the couple who booked their cruise themselves online and did their own air arrangements. Seems that the day before the cruise, the wife realized that their olane was to land in Miami the day of their cruise departure at 11:50 PM instead of 11:50 AM and the airline would do nothing to accomodate them. Since they did not want to miss their cruise (which left Miami at 5:00 PM), they had to book one way air to Miami less than 24 hours before their cruise which added another $2,000.00 to the cost of their vacation. Ouch!

Had they used an agent, this probably would not have happened.

sailingrose · May 30, 2012

If you are detail oriented and experienced that won't happen to you. The last travel agent we used screwed up the dinner reservations on my parents 60th anniversary cruise. Fortunately I knew exactly how to fix it immediately.

TA are necessary for in experienced travellers and those that prefer not to do there own arrangements.

Just my opinion.

jacketwatch · May 30, 2012

You have to know and trust the agent. I once booked air on our miles from Chi to hong Kong, then paid for air from HK to India from a TA. I got a good price, called the airlines to be sure and was told it was a confirmed ticket. Some mos. later I was checking the fares and saw that the flight time had changed and called the airlines to check. I found out that this TA had cancelled our tickets and the airline said he told them the $ was refunded. Well it wasn't! I was able to get visa to issue a refund and rebooked with the airline directly. I called the TA. Disconnected.

JohnG · May 30, 2012

I found this last December in a Florida newspaper and saved it:

PRICE: I think that one of the greatest misconceptions in the world of travel is you save money by booking directly with the travel supplier, cutting out the middle man.

For the most part, no matter how you book your next cruise, trip to Disney, hotel stay, or rental car, the price is the same.

In the last 10-plus years, most of the world’s major travel suppliers have instituted price protection guarantees that ensure the price is the same. However, travel professionals are often given extra perks for their clients, things like complimentary breakfast for your hotel stay or a complimentary shore event on your cruise; amenities you would not get by booking direct or with an online mega agency.

And, with so many promotions available, a travel professional will make sure that you are getting the best price available to you, all at no additional cost to you, so that you know you are getting the most for your money.

VALUE: Saving money is not just about price, but more about value.

If the hotel was in the wrong location or the cruise line was not the right fit, it does not matter how much you saved. You can save a ton of money and be miserable or spend a little more to be in heaven.

A travel professional will recommend relevant offerings and provide cost saving strategies. Moving your date, changing the location of your room, and being open to different flight options can all save you money. Nobody wants to pay more than necessary and a travel consultant will help you find the best value without the sacrifices of a cheap trip.

KNOWLEDGE / EXPERTISE: Today’s travel professionals are constantly learning.

We love to travel and we love to share our experiences with others. This first-hand knowledge of a place or of a cruise ship or of a hotel can only enhance your vacation, possibly in ways you never even imagined.

We know the best rooms at hotels and the best cabins on cruise ships, and we know which rooms and cabins to avoid. We know the best time of year to travel to Europe on a budget, and the best time to plan a family reunion aboard a cruise ship.

If we have not personally been to a destination, we know someone who has. We work for our customers and not for a travel supplier, so we provide unbiased information and recommendations based on your personal preferences and needs.

TIME: If you have a travel professional that you trust, then you do not need to spend your valuable free time scouring the web through millions of pages to put together all the pieces of your next vacation.

And many travel sites only offer rates and information for the companies that have contracted with them. A travel professional has ALL the information at her fingertips, saving you hours in front of the computer. One call to your local travel professional and you don’t need to make planning your next vacation your second job.

WHY GO IT ALONE?: The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) has a slogan that states succinctly how travel professionals help consumers with their travel arrangements — “Without a Travel Agent, You’re On Your Own.”

If you have a problem with a part of your travel experience, your travel professional will act on your behalf to make sure that restitution is made.

And, while on vacation, we are here to help or just to listen when things out of our control go awry.

Flights are delayed, weather happens, and your travel professional is just a phone call or email away, if you need us - no matter where you are in the world

Edited May 30, 2012 by JohnG