Theres no onesizefitsall answer to whether you should use a travel agent or book your cruise directly with the cruise line. Heres how to determine if it s okay to book on your own. If you have a good travel agent, its better to use a travel agent. Is it better to book a cruise through a travel agent, or on your own. Top 5 reasons to use a travel agent to book a cruise travel. In other words, these sites are more akin to having your own travel agent to help you with the booking process compared to only a website. Occasionally, you can find a travel agent, that through a special promotion, has a lower per person cabin fare than what is currently advertised by the cruise company. You do the online checkin, book port adventures, book ticketed meet and greets, book palo, etc. Have you ever asked, should i use a cruise travel agent to book my cruise. For the great majority of us the answer would be no, those are things better left to others. Ask friends, family, and acquaintances who they use for booking cruises. Heres why you should use a travel agent instead of booking. Discover why you should consider using a cruise agent to book your cruises from now onwards.
Head over to the american society of travel agents and find a certified travel agent. Aug 11, 2016 the best way to find a really great cruise oriented travel agent is a referral from friends or family. You can use the knowledge they have to make sure you book the right cruise. But the cruise market is different, with a lot of fluctuations and quirks. Book your cruise with a travel agent 6 reasons why you should. Or maybe, why should i use a travel agent to book a cruise when. The answer is actually pretty simple travel agents work to make your trip better. You may be wondering why disney would pay a travel agent if they could book all of the travel themselves.
The river cruise companies that allow you to book through a travel agentbroker expect that this agentbroker will bring them business. I was planning on booking through a travel agent because it is my first cruise and thought they would be able to help me with any questions i had. Heres why youre better off booking your next cruise on your own. Questionwhen you paid the travel agent directly, did the charge on your card show up as the travel agency or carnival cruise line. Also, if you book your cruise with a travel agent, youll have to carry out all communications with the cruise line through the agent, which can slow the process down and become frustrating. Benefits of booking with a travel agent vs booking online. Someone who lives in your area and can provide you with catalogs. Most people feel confident to book travel themselves these days. Luxury cruise travel agents have access to deals and perks you cant. We could easily spout statistics like the fact that 51% of all u. Should i use a travel agent or book directly with a cruise line.
Lets face it, its tempting to be able to book your own trips online. Folks ask us all the time why they need to book their family vacations with a travel agent. If i book that way will i still be able to view my reservation and or make payments through the carnival website. Apr 16, 2017 years ago, before travel websites became popular, the only way to book a cruise or a complicated vacation such as a honeymoon was to go through an agency, and some agents behaved as if they were. Book your cruise with a travel agent 6 reasons why you. Talk with others who have cruised and worked with cruise travel agents. Yes, you should still use a travel agent to book a cruise. You can go to your chosen cruise lines website and book directly, you can even call up one of their specialists and talk through your vacation options, but if this is your first cruise you may want to use a travel agent. The pros and cons of using a travel agent travel us news. If you have cruised before and know exactly what you want the cruise. Or maybe, why should i use a travel agent to book a cruise when i can simply do it myself. I want to explore the best ways to book your cruises as you look to return to cruising, whether its the shortterm, the mediumterm, or the longterm, and explore whether you should be booking with a cruise agent or in some other way. When an agent books a hotel room, cruise, tour, etc, this means the provider doesnt have to sell, market, or service the booking the agent takes care of all of that.
Conversely, if you do use a travel agent to book your cruise and visit the future cruise sales desk on that cruise and make a new reservation, you can only choose the same travel agent to be in charge of your new reservation and would then receive the full on board credit that they offer their clients. In fact, booking a future cruise while on your current sailing is a great way to save a ton of money and grab extra promotional benefits such as onboard credit, free drinks or dining packages or prepaid gratuities. Even if youre sure youd like the help of an agent, there are many different types agents to choose from. Do the pre cruise work and research, get your prices and budget set, then go see a good reputable travel agent to finalize. Millennials seem the biggest fans of using travel agents, with 30% having used an agent in the last year. So yes, more people use travel agents each year, and the majority feel their trips. Oct 20, 2016 even better, an agent will put in the legwork of sifting through travel insurance policies and point you to the plan that best suits your individual needs and itinerary, he adds. If youre hoping to use an agent that deals exclusively with cruise travel, you can search for one through the cruise lines international association clia offers an accredited cruise certification for agents, which means travel professionals with this credential have gone through extensive training in order to better match travelers with the. Some travel agents offer package deals, with more savings passed on to you then booking the trip on your ownthat is good news to your wallet. A good travel agent will also get to know your travel style and guide you to the cruise line, ship and even room type that are best for you. Due to a suggestion that travel agents can sometimes offer perks unavailable directly through carnival, i spoke with a travel agent to compare pricing and offers. How to choose a cruise travel agent diy cruise plan.
Reasons you should never book a cruise through a travel agent. Do you use a travel agent or book directly through rcl. Back in the day, you would use a travel agent to book every aspect of your trip. Heres why you should use a travel agent instead of. Even better, an agent will put in the legwork of sifting through travel insurance policies and point you to the plan that best suits your individual needs and itinerary, he adds. Free drink packages and onboard credit are just some of. I know a couple who booked a cruise themselves and had a miserable time saying they will never take another cruise. Since most travel agents cant advertise prices lower than those the cruise lines offer, the only means of getting cruisers to book with them is to offer travel perks. The biggest advantage of booking a cruise through a travel agent is personalized advice. Why you should use a travel agent to book a cruise the occasional cheaper cabin.
The best way to find a reputable cruise travel agent is word of mouth. May 08, 2019 the cons of using a travel agent theyre not going to help with cheaper airfare. Sure, you can book a cruise on your own through a cruise lines website or at the future cruise desk while on your current cruise. You can look on the website for the cruise line international association clia to find a cruisecertified travel agent in your area. This opens the door to more possibilities as you are shopping around for a cruise. We chose the bali mandira beach resort and spa and flights on malindo air, which the agent said. Yes, there are differences between booking directly with the cruise line versus using a travel agent.
Only downside is, if cruise drastically drops in price, or has other specials my agent cant do anything, sometimes when you book directly theyll give you the special. However, if you are happy with the agent, that could be a good reason to use him or her. First, they save you the time and trouble of searching through the many. Therefore, the agency can help make comparisons for you from one cruise line to another. The more fun you have on your vacation, the more likely you are to go back. Travel agents also are able to take ship inspections on cruise ships giving them valuable insight to a variety of ships. A cruise travel agency doesnt represent just one cruise line, but many. I have found offers of more perks and better prices for other cruise. Lets face it, it s tempting to be able to book your own trips online.
Travel agents are a wealth of information with plenty of real world travel experience. Thats why the vast majority of travelers still use a travel agent for cruises. Bottom line you should book your cruise with a travel agent if youre a first time cruiser, have a lot of special requests or want to get the best deals. Very knowledgable, and its not just booklearning, its personal experience. Book carnival cruise direct or through travel agent. Booking a cruise can be a daunting process, especially if you havent done it before. Use a travel advisor to match your lifestyle with the best possible cruise line for you, suggests becker. Any cruise payments need to go through the travel agent, and they would be the ones to book the rooms, change rooms if you wanted to switch locations, etc. In fact, members of the american society of travel agents book more than 144 million vacations a year, and. Does it cost money to book a cruise with a travel agent. Cruises should i use a travel agent to book a cruise. You should book your cruise with a travel agent if youre a first time cruiser, have a lot of special requests or want to get the best deals.
Use these travel agents to book your next cruise travel. Dec 22, 2016 sure, you can book a cruise on your own through a cruise lines website or at the future cruise desk while on your current cruise. A travel agent specializing in disney has knowledge and experience. When booking a vacation, destination wedding or honeymoon, the last thing a traveler should have to do is worry. Why do you use a travel agent to book a cruise, instead of. Question cancelled cruise booked with travel agent. Lets look at the pros and cons of each option so you can make an informed decision. Why you should use a travel agent to book a cruise. Why you need luxury cruise travel agents and how to. Should i use a travel agent or book directly with a cruise. Should you use a travel agent to help you book your cruise. Most specifically, travel agents are known for giving more.
Booking directly with cruise line or through an agency. Heres how to determine if its okay to book on your own. Having an excellent luxury cruise travel agent in your corner can mean the difference between an ok cruise and a fantastic one. Only downside is, if cruise drastically drops in price, or has other specials my agent cant do anything, sometimes when you.
Since its in your neighborhood, you can stop in at your leisure or. Last year i did use a travel agent but the process went back and forth a while and i missed out on the original pricing of the booking i was looking at because of the back and forth. Years ago, before travel websites became popular, the only way to book a cruise or a complicated vacation such as a honeymoon was to go through an. Why you should book disney with a travel agent travelingmom. I also took a quote from online web site of the cruise company celebrity and found that the on. So im not sure if the agent actually got me a better deal than i would have. Here are five things you dont know about booking a costco cruise and why costco travel is my first and usually last stop when shopping for a cruise. Is it better to book the cruise through agents rather than. Breaking down the pros and cons of using a travel agent. The cons of using a travel agent theyre not going to help with cheaper airfare. With a focus on cruising, they are able to better serve cruise passengers including having staff that you can call directly to help you book. Should you be using a cruise agent to book your cruise. Hi guys me and my better half are planning a first time cruise this summer.
My last 2 cruises i got a better deal with an agent, i got extra miles on my credit card, and overall a better deal, not major, but worthy enough to book through agent. With that said, there are several overriding reasons people still turn to travel agents. The best way to find a really great cruiseoriented travel agent is a referral from friends or family. You can look on the website for the cruise line international association clia to find a cruise certified travel agent in your area. Call local chamber of commerce and ask for referrals.
The river cruise companies that allow you to book through a travel agent broker expect that this agent broker will bring them business. Part of the point of having a travel agent book your trip is that you are freed up to do other things while the itinerary research is taking place. Surely dealing directly with the cruise company is better for me. Why you need luxury cruise travel agents and how to find a. At best you get a better deal, maybe an obc, maybe an upgrade. At cruise critic, we tend to think that most people should use a travel agent for the best experience. Although each ta goes about doing it somewhat differently, the reality is that a substantial piece of your payment comes back to the ta and with the best ones for us this means many hundreds of dollars or. In short, it generally doesnt cost you money to use a travel agent, and in fact, the agent can very often help you save money on your trip more on that in that below. She quoted me the exact same price and deals, and i felt as though i was more familiar with the current specials than she was.
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