Is it cheaper to use a travel agent and do travel agents get better deals on cruises?
Travel agents are an incredible resource for planning your first cruise, and yet so many new cruisers miss out on their expertise.
I always use a travel agent to book my cruises, and firmly believe only stand to benefit from using a good travel agent.
Unlike air travel, cruises are very personalized. Picking the right cruise ship, choosing the right stateroom, deciding when to have dinner, navigating travel insurance and more are all personal decisions that someone who has never cruised before needs to figure out.
A good travel agent is there to not just book a cruise, but be your guide and advocate all the way through the vacation itself.
If you're trying to figure out if you should use a travel agent to book a cruise, here are my top reasons to try one.
The best agents don't charge you any fees for their services
Let's debunk one myth about travel agents, which is they cost you money to use them.
There are some agencies that have service fees, but most do not. This is because Royal Caribbean pays them a commission for bookings they make, so they're paid in that way.
Moreover, it's in their best interest to treat you right because the way they grow their business (and profits) is to have their clients come back and book more sailings.
Any travel agent you use should not charge you fees to book, service, change, or cancel a cruise. While Royal Caribbean may charge you change fees (they do that to everyone), the agent should not.
Yes, a travel agent could save you money
A lot of people try a travel agent for one reason: they want to get the best price on a cruise.
The listed price of a cruise is the same if you book with Royal Caribbean or a travel agent, but travel agents sometimes have access to special rates.
Known as group rates, sometimes an agency can negotiate a better price than what you see on the cruise line website because they have a bulk rate set up.
It's not always the case, but my travel agent routinely surprises me with better-than-expected prices because of group prices.
In addition, a travel agent might have extra booking benefits to offer. There can be bonus onboard credit, complimentary specialty dining, or a free soda package included when you book a cruise.
Perks for booking are a nice bonus, but it's not always offered. What perks travel agents get you when booking cruises depends on the arrangement they have at the time with the cruise line.
At worst, you'll pay no more for using a travel agent. But you might just get a better price.
You're going to have a lot of questions that a travel agent can answer
A lot of people book with a travel agent for the first time because they're chasing the lowest price, but their expertise is why you should really use a travel agent.
Cruises are complicated and there are a lot of decisions you need to make at the time of booking:
- Cruise line
- Itinerary
- Ship
- Stateroom
- Refundable or non-refundable deposit
- Prepay gratuities or not
- My Time Dining or Traditional Dining
- Travel insurance
- Pre-cruise transportation
Sure, you can read all about those things on this blog (thank you!), but a travel agent will make it all easier for you.
Think of it like having a lawyer versus not having one. You can certainly represent yourself in court, but a lawyer is so much easier. But unlike a lawyer, a good travel agent costs you nothing extra.
One of the most common problems new cruisers run into are situations they had no idea were a mistake. Booking the wrong stateroom, choosing a ship that doesn't have the amenities they expected, cruising during the wrong time of year, and more are all situations where a travel agent could have warned them about what they should do instead.
The saying, "you don't know what you don't know" applies very much to a cruise. Cruises aren't difficult, but there are a lot of nuances to figure out.
I find a travel agent makes it all so much easier, whether it's your first cruise or not.
Travel agents can step in if there's a problem
Another you didn't know you needed a travel agent reason is if there's some kind of a problem.
Royal Caribbean isn't perfect, and issues can pop up. Reservations get accidentally cancelled, ships are redeployed, things break on your sailing, and plenty of other unforeseen circumstances can pop-up. In all of these, a travel agent is the one that will "fight" with the cruise line to get you a resolution.
First and foremost, travel agents are the ones that wait on hold for someone to answer the phone and then pursue a problem.
Unlike you, a travel agent knows how to escalate problems to higher-ups when the solution is unsatisfactory.
The best agents have resources within the cruise line that can "bend" policies from time to time, when the situation messy.
During hurricane season, a travel agent can assist if you vacation is impacted by changing flight plans or excursions.
They're not just there to book a cruise. Rather, they are "in your corner" until you get home.
They can reprice a cruise so much easier than you can
Want to know my favorite perk of using a travel agent? Taking advantage of a price drop.
Royal Caribbean has a not-so-simply means of repricing a cruise before the final payment date, and there is no doubt repricing is easier for travel agents than someone that books directly.
Travel agents have self-service tools to allow them to reprice a cruise, and if there's a problem, they reach out and speak to their reps to get a resolution.
When people that booked directly try to reprice, I have seen far too many situations where one phone rep doesn't know the rules and gives the guest incorrect information.
Not to mention all I have to do is text my travel agent to reprice and that's it. They do the work and I do nothing else and do not waste my time on the phone.
Reality check: not all travel agents are the same
Just like there are bad Italian restaurants, not every travel agent is the best.
I recommend using a good travel agent, which means you need to find the right one.
I'm certain someone in the comments will say something like "I used a travel agent and it was terrible." But do you swear off all Italian restaurants after one bad meal? No, you find a great restaurant.
The same logic applies to travel agents. You should ask friends and family for recommendations on who to use.
Since you're wondering, I recommend and use MEI Travel to book all of my Royal Caribbean cruises.
Full disclosure, MEI Travel is a sponsor of this site. But I have used them for many years before they were ever a sponsor, and I refer my parents and siblings to them when they need to book a cruise, because I trust them that much.
MEI Travel are experts in Royal Caribbean cruises and have agents that have seen just about every crazy situation and gets results. Plus, they go an extra step and will actually proactively check for price drops so I don't have to (although, I still do anyway)!
Best yet, MEI Travel does not charge any fees for their services.
How to find a travel agent for a cruise
I've found the best way to find a travel agent is to ask for a recommendation from family or friends that one that they love.
No matter which agent you find, I'd ask the cruise travel agent a few questions before you book anything.
- How long have you sold cruises with Royal Caribbean?
- How many cruises have you taken with Royal Caribbean?
- How will we communicate if I have questions or changes (phone, email, text)?
- What can I expect in response times to questions I have?
Establishing expectations and lines of communication are critical with a travel agent. I find establishing what you and the agent can expect initially reduces the chance of problems later.
If you prefer phone calls over emails, you'll want an agent that's available for phone calls. Some are, and some aren't.
There's a travel agent out there for everyone, but you need to find one that meshes well with your style.
